October is Small Business Month in Canada, and new Robert Half research suggests skills shortages continue to create challenges for Canadian small and midsize businesses (SMBs). A survey of more than 650 SMB hiring managers found that nearly half (48%) have hired someone at a salary above budget in the last year with six in 10 citing specialized skills as a key reason. Additional findings include:
52% cite specialized skills as the attribute they value most when hiring.
51% say projects have been delayed, and 42% have cancelled projects altogether, because they lacked the necessary skills.
The hardest-to-find skills are:
Industry-specific knowledge or experience (47%)
Technical or specialized skills (46%)
Leadership abilities (41%)
Tima Miroshnichenko photo Research among more than 820 workers employed at SMBs suggests the challenge extends to job seekers as well:
47% say keeping their skills current with evolving technologies, such as AI, is challenging when searching for jobs.
50% say high competition is a challenge in their job search.
33% feel underpaid for their skill set.
As businesses compete for specialized talent and workers look for ways to stay competitive, these findings highlight the growing importance of skills development and workforce planning across Canada’s SMB sector.
Tara Parry, Director of Permanent Placement Services at Robert Half, discusses the skills most in demand among SMBs, what's driving ongoing skills shortages, and the steps employers and professionals can take to stay competitive in an increasingly skills-focused labour market. To see how SMBs fit into the larger national trends, visit the Robert Half 2027 Salary Guide.