Contract Workers Becoming Essential to Canadian Businesses, New Survey Finds

Summary

• 50% of Canadian companies are building contract workers into their staffing strategies & 72% of hiring managers are likely to hire them in the future.
• 69% of hiring managers report their company has employed contract workers, with 38% currently doing so.
• Hiring managers estimate contract workers complete an average of 10% of work at Canadian companies.
• Hiring intentions for temporary or contract workers have remained steady at 22% since the fall of 2024.
• 23% of hiring managers say their organizations rely more on contract talent than they did three years ago.
• 71% of hiring managers consider contract workers critical for responding to business uncertainty.
• 73% of hiring managers believe hiring contract workers signals agility & smart leadership.
• Employers value contract workers for bringing staff in as needed (48%), easing heavy workloads (41%), & covering responsibilities during employee leave (34%).
• 80% of hiring managers whose companies use contract workers say this talent has outperformed full-time employees at times.
• 55% of Canadian job seekers have worked as contractors, & 65% of those not currently in a contract role express interest in one.
• Gen Z (62%) & millennials (56%) have the highest rates of prior contract work experience.
• Boomers are most open to future contract opportunities, with 90% of non-contract boomers expressing interest.
• The leading advantages of contract work for job seekers include flexible hours (63%), setting own schedules (54%), & choosing tasks of interest (39%).
• Financial benefits cited by job seekers include making more money for daily expenses (48%), adding to savings (45%), & gaining new skills (45%).
• The Job Insights survey involved 508 Canadian hiring decision-makers conducted between May 15 & June 1, 2026.
• The Job Seeker Report involved 508 Canadian adults conducted between May 19 & June 8, 2026.