Temporary work in Canada on the rise

There is a steep rise in the proportion of temporary work in Canada, especially in the areas of nursing, information systems analysts and consultants and financial services clerks.

That's according to recent data by job search site CareerBuilder.ca, which focuses on the top 10 fastest-growing temporary jobs in Canada based on percentage growth.

Licensed practical nurses topped the list and is an occupation that has ballooned by 60 per cent, representing some 296 jobs, since 2010. Information systems analysts and consultants ranked second, with a 44 per cent increase, while bank and insurance clerks was third on the list with a 43 per cent increase.

Still, employers appear split on their hiring intentions. Half of nearly 300 employers surveyed say they plan to hire temporary or contract workers sometime in 2013, Ross Levadi, director of staffing and recruiting at the job site, said in a statement.

But at the same time, Levadi said nearly two in five employers also say they plan to transition their temporary workers into full-time roles at some point this year.

Other jobs on CareerBuilder's list include: landscaping and grounds maintenance workers, purchasing and inventory clerks, records management and filing clerks, payroll clerks and light duty cleaners. Registered nurses and computer network technicians also made the list of fastest-rising temp jobs.

Temporary work appears to be here to stay, growing at a faster rate than permanent work, according to a Globe and Mail report on Monday. It cited most of the growth in temporary work over the past decade and a half has been among young people and mostly in education, culture and the accommodation and food services sector.

Statistics Canada data showed the number of temporary workers in Canada hit a record two million last year, amounting to 13.6 per cent of the broader work force. Since the recession, temporary work has risen at more than triple the pace of permanent employment, the report noted.