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2026 Canada Job Market: Marketing and Creative Hiring Trends and In-Demand Roles

Salary and hiring trends Workplace Research Research and insights Marketing and creative Article

Top marketing and creative job market trends

There continues to be a demand for skilled candidates in marketing and creative organizations across Canada in 2026—but finding these candidates remains a challenge. As teams become more focused on delivering targeted, data-driven work and as AI evolves, teams are feeling the impact of skills gaps on their projects and deliverables. These skills shortages are particularly impacting marketing analytics, customer experience and automation projects, making it harder to deliver impactful, personalized campaigns and adapt to rapidly changing market conditions. Robert Half data shows that 66 per cent of marketing and creative leaders say that skills shortages have led to project delays and cancellations. Top initiatives affected: 1. Marketing analytics and performance 2. Customer experience and personalization 3. Marketing automation 4. Social media and influencer marketing 5. Customer data management and compliance It’s clear that a strategic hiring approach is needed to address these gaps. Leaders who adopt flexible staffing strategies will be better positioned to innovate, elevate customer experiences and deliver stronger marketing outcomes. In the era of AI in the workplace, employers are seeking not only technical skills but also strong soft skills when hiring for their marketing and creative teams. 60 per cent of marketing leaders surveyed in the Demand for Skilled Talent Report say critical thinking and problem solving is the top soft skill to complement AI, with 59 per cent citing adaptability and continuous learning. Other soft skills leaders noted to complement AI include:

Creativity and innovation (56 per cent)

Communication (42 per cent)

Emotional intelligence (31 per cent)

Explore the full Demand for Skilled Talent report today

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More insights

To stay up to date with the latest creative and marketing industry employment news, check out the Robert Half Canada Labour Market Overview, updated monthly with the latest employment numbers. For more help to combat hiring struggles in 2026, marketing and creative leaders should ensure their total compensation packages meet candidates where they are. Visit the 2026 Canada Salary Guide From Robert Half for the latest salary ranges, benefits and perks candidates are seeking and how you can boost your company’s recruitment efforts. Don’t underestimate the power of pay transparency. On January 1, 2026, Ontario’s Pay Transparency Act came into effect, requiring employers to disclose salary ranges in job postings. Read more: Ontario Pay Transparency Act: What Employers Need to Know in 2026.

In-demand creative and marketing jobs in Canada

Based on an analysis of thousands of job postings and Robert Half placements, the following positions are experiencing above-average sequential growth and consistent demand throughout the past 12 months:

Communications specialist

Content strategist

Digital marketing manager

Graphic designer

Marketing analytics specialist

Marketing manager

Product designer

Product marketing manager

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 marketing managers

Hiring managers for marketing and creative teams in Canada have indicated their plans for the second half of 2026:

66 per cent are planning to increase hiring

45 per cent are planning to increase contract hiring

56 per cent say hiring skilled talent is more difficult today compared to one year ago

Impact of skills shortages

Critical, ongoing skills shortages have made it harder for marketing and creative teams to execute priority projects. This is prompting delays, and some initiatives are being put on hold as leaders address these shortfalls.

66 per cent of marketing and creative leaders say skills shortages have led to project delays in the past year.

57 per cent report projects have been cancelled.

Top trending skills for creatives and marketing professionals

An analysis of Robert Half research and data found these are some of the most in-demand skills for creative and marketing jobs:

AI powered marketing

Customer experience

Data visualization

GA4 (Google Analytics 4)

 For the full list of skills and insights, read the full Demand for Skilled Talent Report by Robert Half.

Marketing and creative job market in Canada: FAQs

1. Are employers increasingly hiring contract and remote/hybrid marketing and creative professionals in 2026? Yes. Canadian marketing and creative leaders are leaning into contract talent to meet project deadlines and access specialized skills—45% say they’re planning to increase their use of contract professionals in the second half of 2026. Lower-than-national average unemployment rates in the field and persistent skills gaps in areas like marketing automation, UX research and design, product/visual design, and marketing analytics are driving this strategy. Hybrid work remains an important attraction and retention lever as teams balance AI adoption with the need for authentic, human-centered brand experiences. 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 marketing and creative talent in Canada? To succeed in the evolving Canada job market, hiring managers should consider these best practices: Offer above-average compensation and hire quickly when you find skilled talent; competition is high and 56 per cent of leaders say it’s challenging to find the talent they need today compared to a year ago.Lean on contract staffing to cover project-based needs and specialized work, aligning capacity with campaign timelines.Emphasize flexibility and skills development, as teams scale AI and automation while maintaining brand authenticity and human connection. 3. What are the average salaries for marketing and creative jobs in Canada? For the latest salaries across roles —such as digital marketing manager, graphic designer, product designer, social media manager, and UX designer—consult the marketing and creative 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.
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