Revenue in the Canadian temporary staffing market increased an estimated 3% last year, according to the “Canadian Staffing Industry Outlook: 2018 Update” report released by Staffing Industry Analysts. Revenue is projected to rise another 3% year over year in 2019, reaching C$9.2 billion.

The research estimates slightly faster growth in the place-and-search sector, which includes direct hire, retained search and temp-to-perm conversion fees. The faster growth is consistent with what SIA expects to see later in the economic growth cycle when candidates are scarce and clients turn to staffing firms for help with filling their permanent positions.

“Revenue growth is increasingly being limited by supply shortages of candidates to fill orders,” the report states. “Bill rates for professional jobs do not appear to be rising much faster than inflation, despite the current record low levels of unemployment, based on economic data and conversations with industry executives.”

SIA corporate members can download the full report online.