Nearly 4 in 10 workers plan to change jobs in H1 2025

Thirty-eight percent of workers are looking for or plan to look for a new job in the first half of this year, according to a Robert Half survey of 1,500 Canadian professionals conducted in December.

That figure represents a 12-point decline from April 2024, when 50% of Canadian workers said they planned to look for a new job in H2 2024.

The proportion of workers seeking a new job has vacillated between 40-50% since 2023, rebounding after Covid-19 pandemic downturn uncertainty forced more workers to stay put. For example, only 28% were planning to find a new job in H1 2021.

Gaining a higher salary is always the top factor influencing job search plans (41% in the most recent survey). Other top factors are better benefits (31%), remote flexibility (27%), and professional development (20%).

The factors that influence staying at one’s current employer include competitive salary and regular pay increases (74%), reasonable workloads (70%), and flexibility in where and when work is performed (66%).

“While many professionals right now are still interested in pursuing new roles, the decrease in active job seeking may lead to increasing hiring challenges for the nearly half of businesses planning to expand their workforce in 2025," said Koula Vasilopoulos, senior managing director, Robert Half, Canada.

Worker confidence remains high, according to the Robert Half survey, with 94% saying they are confident in their skills and 72% saying they are confident they could find a new job if needed.

Surveyed professionals say the biggest challenges in job hunting are making one’s resume stand out (70%), finding jobs that match their experience (68%), and finding time to apply for jobs (55%).

Red flags that would dissuade workers from applying for positions include a refusal to post a salary range (42%), vague job responsibilities (35%), and poor communication with the recruiter (33%).