Canadian employers report steady hiring plans for the second quarter, according to the latest Manpower Employment Outlook Survey.

Twenty-one percent of the more than 1,900 Canadian employers surveyed plan to increase their payrolls in the second quarter, while 5 percent plan cutbacks, for a net 16 percent planning to hire. Seventy-three percent expect to maintain their current staffing levels and the final 1 percent don't know. The seasonally adjusted 13 percent positive outlook is five percentage points higher than the second quarter last year.

"Strengthened by an active outlook in the Western Region, the net employment outlook for the upcoming quarter indicates a hopeful hiring climate for the April to June time frame," said Byrne Luft, VP of operations, staffing services for Manpower Canada. "Overall, Canadian employers are telling us that they plan to hire at a similar pace as they did in the previous quarter."

Each of the 10 industry sectors surveyed report steady hiring plans, with mining sector employers being the most with a seasonally adjusted net outlook of 25 percent.

Regionally, employers in Western Canada and Quebec report the strongest hiring plans, with a net 20 percent and 14 percent, respectively. A net 13 percent plan to hire in Ontario, and those in Canada's Atlantic region report a net 12 percent positive hiring outlook for the second quarter.