Holiday Hiring Surges, Job Competition Remains Fierce

Holiday job postings are slightly more common this year, but that increase offers only limited relief for job hunters because competition is expected to remain strong while unemployment stays elevated. Indeed Canada’s holiday hiring trends report, released Wednesday, shows seasonal job listings this winter are about 12% higher than last year, but still weak compared with earlier years.

“After two down years, we’ve seen the seasonal hiring appetite actually come in a bit stronger than last year,” said Indeed Canada’s senior economist Brendon Bernard, who authored the report.

Bernard explains that demand for seasonal workers tends to follow the broader economy. The last two holiday seasons were constrained by high interest rates and inflation, which suppressed hiring as households trimmed spending. This year, consumer spending appears to be stabilizing, and many retailers have described “a fairly solid year,” which is supporting somewhat stronger seasonal hiring.

Sandra Lavoy, metro market director with Robert Half, also notes a modest improvement in the holiday hiring landscape. Several sectors—particularly retail and hospitality—have been operating with very lean staffing levels. With the holiday rush approaching, employers often cannot maintain minimal staffing because customer demand rises sharply. “Seasonal work is typically a short burst—two months, maybe three—so businesses have no choice but to add temporary staff,” Lavoy said.

Temporary holiday work in high demand

Despite the increase in postings, securing a holiday job is harder than it was a few years ago. More Canadians are actively searching for work, which raises competition for the same short-term roles. Statistics Canada’s October labour market report showed the unemployment rate remained elevated at 6.9%, even after a few months of stronger-than-expected job gains.

Indeed Canada tracks listings containing seasonal keywords—like Christmas, Xmas, Santa, and holiday—and monitors job seeker searches for those terms. The share of searches containing seasonal job terms has risen: in early November, roughly three out of every 1,000 Canadian job searches on Indeed included a holiday-related term, up from 2.5 per 1,000 a year earlier and 2.2 per 1,000 in 2022.

The report warns that increased interest in seasonal roles is not necessarily a healthy sign for the labour market overall. When more job seekers turn to temporary, short-term work, it can indicate that some households are taking on seasonal roles to make ends meet. That dynamic makes it tougher for individuals to land temporary positions compared with prior years and may push people who would prefer stable, permanent roles to accept short-term work for now.

Seasonal hiring slower than summer months

While the summer job market was especially competitive because of weak labour demand, it’s uncertain whether holiday hiring will reach the same intensity. Bernard points out that hiring patterns and the type of work differ markedly between summer and the holiday season. The summer months usually involve a much broader range of roles and higher overall hiring volume, whereas holiday hiring tends to be more concentrated in retail, hospitality, delivery, and customer service positions.

Indeed Canada’s summer report showed summer job postings had fallen around 22% in May year-over-year, so the modest uptick this winter represents a change in direction, even if it won’t create a booming market. “We did see a bit of a change in direction (this winter), which is good to see, even if it’s not going to be a roaring market,” Bernard said.

For job seekers, the current environment means preparing strategically. Start applying early, tailor resumes to seasonal roles, emphasize reliability and flexibility, and consider temporary staffing agencies that place workers in short-term retail or hospitality positions. Broaden your search to include related roles—such as warehousing, delivery, and customer support—where demand typically rises during the holidays. Highlighting transferable skills like customer service, point-of-sale experience, or logistics familiarity can improve chances of being hired for short-term openings.

Employers, meanwhile, should recognize that many candidates are weighing short-term needs against the desire for stable employment. Competitive hourly rates, clear scheduling information, and quick hiring processes can make seasonal positions more attractive and help businesses secure the workers they need during the busiest time of year.

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