New CSJ Hiring Index (6-month outlook), admin, industrial & engineering job analysis and inflation impact
🚰 On tap this week
Good morning ☀️,
This week, we launched our CSJ Hiring Index, a key indicator blending forward-looking metrics (60%) and factual present data (40%) in order to get a good grasp of the labour market outlook within the next 6 months. Our analysis show that past index values are consistent with what eventually happened within the next 2 quarters in the labour market (read more about the latest index below).
On tap, we have a review of admin jobs which are still stalling (although sales jobs are growing), and industrial & engineering jobs showing a stark contrast between lower-skilled and highly skilled jobs. Finally, a quick look at inflation and its consequences on hiring.
Happy reading!
Minh Dang - Editor in Chief - The Canadian Labour and Staffing Journal
Hiring appetite stable but not accelerating - CSJ Hiring Index
The July CSJ Hiring Index reads 5.4/10, a moderate score that suggests hiring appetite is stabilizing but not accelerating. Purchasing managers are expanding activity, but sector-specific signals remain mixed, highlighting selective opportunities rather than a broad-based boom.
Engineering still strong, lower-skilled industrial labour not picking up, although logistic support jobs are gaining steam
Canada’s blue-collar job market continues to show sharp contrasts, with highly skilled roles thriving while lower-qualification jobs struggle to regain their footing.
Volumes of admin and customer service roles are still not recovering. Sales roles are growing.
The latest job posting data reveal a mixed picture in the Canadian labor market, with certain roles struggling to regain momentum even as others inch closer to recovery.
Is Canada’s slowing inflation a green light for hiring?
In July 2025, Canada’s headline inflation dropped to 1.7% year-over-year, easing from 1.9% in June, according to Statistics Canada. A key driver of this slowdown was a 16.1% annual decline in gasoline prices, owed in part to the removal of the consumer carbon surcharge. Excluding gasoline, the CPI still rose by 2.5%, unchanged from the two prior months.