Express Employment Professionals’ America Employed and Canada Employed series explore the state of employment in North America. Learn more about the latest insights, according to a recent Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey.
Despite an optimistic hiring outlook, U.S. and Canadian companies expect to face several challenges this year. Among these challenges is the worsening skills gap as hiring decision-makers believe prolonged unemployment leads to a deterioration of hard and soft skills, particularly among younger adults ages 18–26.
Thirty-six percent of U.S. hiring decision-makers report their companies lack the tools to find the right candidates for their job openings, and 32% currently have open positions they cannot fill. The inability to fill open positions is commonly attributed to factors including:
- A lack of applicants with relevant experience (39%)
- A shortage of applicants with hard skills (38%)
- A deficit of applicants with soft skills (33%)
- A general lack of applicants (33%)
The top challenge Canadian hiring decision-makers anticipate facing this year is difficulty finding qualified candidates (46%). Among companies that had open positions in the past year, 54% say it has been difficult to find the right candidates, and 58% say it’s more difficult to find the right candidates now than it was five years ago. Additional challenges include:
- Navigating artificial intelligence tools (31%)
- Increased competition in the job market (25%)
- Not being able to offer competitive pay (25%)
Read more about the latest employment insights in America Employed at ExpressPros.com and Canada Employed at ExpressPros.ca.
Last Updated on September 3, 2025
