2026 Canada Job Market Trends Impacting Administrative and Customer Support Jobs
2026 Administrative and customer support jobs market trends
Success for administrative and customer support teams in 2026 will depend on securing talent with strong communication, sound judgement and the ability to work alongside AI. There continues to be a demand for skilled administrative and customer support candidates across Canada this year as businesses try to balance business-critical projects with limited resources. Organizations must learn to maintain consistent support while operating smarter and faster.
According to the latest Robert Half Canada Demand for Skilled Talent Report, 49 per cent of administrative hiring managers plan to increase hiring in 2026 – with only 8 per cent of leaders citing they have the necessary headcount and skills already on their teams to accomplish targets this year.
Administrative and customer support teams are facing skill gaps. Nearly two thirds (65 per cent) of administrative leaders surveyed say upskilling current employees is needed to meet their targets for the year. Teams are seeing the most evident skill gaps in the following areas:
Problem solving and critical thinking (28 per cent)
Communication and interpersonal skills (23 per cent)
Quality assurance standards (23 per cent)
Customer service and relationship management (23 per cent)
Soft skills and leadership capabilities (23 per cent)
In addition to technical skills needed in the era of AI in the workplace, administrative and customer support leaders are looking for soft skills that will help business adoption of AI-driven solutions. 59 per cent of finance leaders surveyed in the Demand for Skilled Talent Report, say critical thinking and problem solving and adaptability and continuous learning are the top soft skills to complement AI. Other soft skills leaders noted to compliment AI were:
Creativity and innovation (48 per cent)
Communication (33 per cent)
Emotional intelligence (27 per cent)
Explore the full Demand for Skilled Talent report today
Acces report
Learn what jobs are in demand
Access report
Explore our latest Demand for Skilled Talent Report to see what skills and roles companies need most.
Hiring plans for administrative and customer support managers
Hiring managers for administrative and customer support teams in Canada have indicated their hiring plans for the first half of 2026:
49 per cent are planning to increase hiring
49 per cent are planning to increase contract hiring
53 per cent say hiring skilled talent is more difficult today compared to one year ago
Strategic priorities for companies in 2026
During the first half of 2026, administrative and customer support leaders in Canada will be primarily focused on the below strategic priorities:
Enhancing customer experience and satisfaction
Improving team efficiency and workflow automation
Developing skills and career growth opportunities for staff
Implementing or optimizing technology and collaboration tools
Supporting employee well-being and reducing burnout
Top trending skills for administrative support jobs
An analysis of Robert Half research and data found these are some of the most in-demand skills for administrative and customer support professionals:
Customer experience
Front office management
Microsoft Excel
Project management
Workflows
For the full list of skills and insights, read the full Demand for Skilled Talent report by Robert Half.
Administrative and customer support job market in Canada: FAQs
1. Are employers increasingly hiring contract and remote/hybrid administrative and customer support professionals in 2026?
Yes. In the first half of 2026, Canadian employers are turning to contract administrative and customer support professionals to manage seasonal peaks, special projects, and skills gaps. This approach helps maintain flexibility and control costs in an evolving job market. Hybrid work options are also gaining traction for roles like executive assistants, customer service representatives, and administrative coordinators, as organizations adapt to digital workflows and evolving employee expectations.
For insights into the latest employment numbers across Canada, including the marketing and creative job market, check out our Labour Market Overview page, which is updated monthly.
2. What strategies should hiring managers use to attract administrative and customer support talent in Canada?
To succeed in the evolving Canadian job market, hiring managers should:
Offer competitive pay and transparent salary ranges, as candidates increasingly expect clarity.
Highlight flexibility and career development opportunities, including training for digital tools and customer experience platforms.
Leverage contract staffing to quickly fill roles during peak demand or when specialized skills are needed.
Promote hybrid work options, which remain a strong incentive for administrative professionals.
3. What are the average salaries for administrative and customer support jobs in Canada?
For the latest salaries across roles—such as administrative assistant, executive assistant, customer service specialist, and office manager—consult the Administrative and Customer Support section of the 2026 Canada Salary Guide From Robert Half. You can also use the Salary Calculator to find salaries local to you in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, or other city.
About the Demand for Skilled Talent report
Access Report
The Demand for Skilled Talent report by Robert Half is an authoritative source providing essential insights into 2026’s employment trends. This report has offered a deep dive into Canada’s hiring landscape for over a decade, spotlighting challenges and strategies to attract and retain talent in today’s job market. It explores what employees seek in their careers, identifies common recruitment errors and suggests solutions. The report spans sectors like finance and accounting, technology, marketing, legal, administrative and customer support and human resources, proving crucial for business leaders and managers.
Data methodology
The surveys cited were developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. Results may not total 100% due to rounding or allowing for multiple responses. Respondents included executives, hiring managers and workers from small (10-99 employees), midsize (100-999 employees) and large (1,000+ employees) businesses in private, publicly listed and public sector organizations across Canada.
Positions are categorized into 365+ job titles within Robert Half’s Salary Guide using a proprietary mapping methodology that employs state-of-the-art large language models. This dataset includes roles across the finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative and customer support and human resources professions.
