[Canada] Just 4% of employers planning 2027 pay increases for everyone

In Canada, new research shows that employers are budgeting for average salary increases of 3.1 per cent to 3.3 per cent in 2027, Yahoo reports.

In addition, Randstad Canada's latest Salary Guide revealed that only 4 per cent plan to make increases across the board.

Speaking to Money.ca, Marie-Pier Bedard - Division President of Operational Talent Solutions at Randstad Canada - said, "Employers are moving away from across-the-board raises, and only 4% plan to give everyone the same increase. The workers who see meaningful gains will be the ones whose skills are hardest to replace."

If an individual’s salary rises by 3.2 per cent while consumer prices increase by 3.1 per cent, their real wage gain is only around 0.1 per cent.

A 3.2 per cent increase adds $2,240 in gross annual income to a $70,000 salary. Once adjusted for 3.1 per cent inflation, the annual improvement in purchasing power is approximately.

Household expenses may reportedly rise faster or slower than the overall CPI. Transportation prices, for example, rose 8.4 per cent year over year in September, while shelter costs increased 1.8 per cent.

"Several years of rising costs have added up, and a small gain on top of a higher baseline doesn't feel like progress," Ms Bedard said.

According to Randstad's research, 36 per cent of Canadian workers have taken on, or are seeking, a second job to ease financial pressure.

The report found that, rather than offering uniform increases, employers are directing budgets towards top performers and workers with specialised skills.

Ms Bedard stated that the clearest premiums go to individuals who can integrate AI into business systems and processes. Engineers, cloud architects and data analysts with those capabilities are among the workers earning above-market salaries. Additionally, specialised skills in AI governance, machine learning operations and cybersecurity are attracting higher pay.

Source: Yahoo

(Link and quotes via original reporting)

In Canada, new research shows that employers are budgeting for average salary increases of 3.1 per cent to 3.3 per cent in 2027, Yahoo reports.

In addition, Randstad Canada's latest Salary Guide revealed that only 4 per cent plan to make increases across the board.

Speaking to Money.ca, Marie-Pier Bedard - Division President of Operational Talent Solutions at Randstad Canada - said, "Employers are moving away from across-the-board raises, and only 4% plan to give everyone the same increase. The workers who see meaningful gains will be the ones whose skills are hardest to replace."

If an individual’s salary rises by 3.2 per cent while consumer prices increase by 3.1 per cent, their real wage gain is only around 0.1 per cent.

A 3.2 per cent increase adds $2,240 in gross annual income to a $70,000 salary. Once adjusted for 3.1 per cent inflation, the annual improvement in purchasing power is approximately.

Household expenses may reportedly rise faster or slower than the overall CPI. Transportation prices, for example, rose 8.4 per cent year over year in September, while shelter costs increased 1.8 per cent.

"Several years of rising costs have added up, and a small gain on top of a higher baseline doesn't feel like progress," Ms Bedard said.

According to Randstad's research, 36 per cent of Canadian workers have taken on, or are seeking, a second job to ease financial pressure.

The report found that, rather than offering uniform increases, employers are directing budgets towards top performers and workers with specialised skills.

Ms Bedard stated that the clearest premiums go to individuals who can integrate AI into business systems and processes. Engineers, cloud architects and data analysts with those capabilities are among the workers earning above-market salaries. Additionally, specialised skills in AI governance, machine learning operations and cybersecurity are attracting higher pay.

Source: Yahoo

(Link and quotes via original reporting)