2025 AI Employment Canada

Key Insights from Hiring Lab’s Research

1. Tech, Science, and Math Fields Are Leading Adoption

Although GenAI is transforming workflows across industries, its explicit presence in job descriptions is highly concentrated in technology, science, and mathematics-related roles. In Canada, these fields accounted for 58% of all job postings that referenced GenAI, despite representing just 6% of total job listings (Bernard, 2025).

Notably:

Mathematics-related roles (including data science positions) had the highest adoption rate, with 6.2% of postings mentioning GenAI.
Software development followed at 3.4%, reflecting the demand for AI expertise in machine learning and automation.
Scientific research and information design also had a moderate presence, at 2.0% and 1.1%, respectively.

This suggests that GenAI is currently being adopted where its capabilities align most naturally with existing skill sets, particularly in industries where AI development is a key focus.

2. White-Collar Professions Lag Behind Despite High Potential

Surprisingly, many white-collar occupations that could benefit from AI-driven efficiencies—such as accounting, administrative assistance, human resources, and legal services—had fewer GenAI mentions than the overall job market average (Bernard, 2025).

For instance:

Accounting had one of the highest rates of potential skill replacement by AI but remained underrepresented in GenAI-related job postings.
Banking and finance, where AI-driven automation is gaining traction, had slightly higher mentions at 0.32%, but this still lags behind technical professions.
Administrative assistance and legal services—both fields with significant AI automation potential—rarely included GenAI skills in job descriptions.

This gap suggests that while GenAI is being used informally in many workplaces, employers are not yet explicitly requiring AI-related skills in job postings.

3. Gradual Integration, Not Immediate Disruption

Hiring Lab’s analysis suggests that while AI tools like ChatGPT are being used by many professionals, GenAI skills haven’t yet become a standard job requirement across industries. There are several reasons for this:

Many businesses are still in the early stages of AI adoption, experimenting with tools rather than formally incorporating them into job descriptions.
Employers may lack the technical understanding to define AI-related skills clearly, making it less likely they will list them as requirements in postings.
White-collar professionals are integrating AI into workflows informally, meaning AI expertise is valuable but not explicitly required for hiring decisions.

According to Bernard (2025), job postings that do not explicitly mention GenAI may still incorporate AI-related tasks, but these responsibilities have not yet become central enough to warrant formal recognition in job descriptions.

Future Outlook: What This Means for Job Seekers and Employers

While the current impact of GenAI on job postings is limited, the potential for growth is significant. Hiring Lab’s study evaluated the likelihood of AI replacing human-performed skills and found that:

69% of job skills across industries were deemed “unlikely” or “very unlikely” to be replaced by GenAI in the near term.
However, for roles that require primarily theoretical knowledge with minimal physical presence, many skills were categorized as “possible” or “likely” replaceable by AI (Bernard, 2025).

This means that while job seekers don’t need to fear immediate job loss to AI, those who proactively develop AI-related skills will likely gain a competitive advantage as companies gradually integrate AI-driven efficiencies.

For employers, this research suggests a strategic opportunity:

Formalizing AI skills in job descriptions could help attract talent with relevant expertise before the competition increases.
Providing AI training to existing employees may be a key differentiator for businesses looking to leverage GenAI effectively.

Conclusion: AI Adoption Is a Slow Burn, Not a Sudden Shift

Despite the hype around AI in financial markets and innovation circles, the real-world integration of GenAI in job postings remains low. While its presence is growing, the majority of white-collar professions have yet to make AI expertise a formal hiring requirement.

However, this gradual adoption presents a major opportunity—both for job seekers looking to future-proof their careers and for businesses aiming to gain an early edge in AI-driven transformation. As GenAI tools become more embedded in workplace processes, expect to see a steady increase in AI-related job requirements over the coming years.

For now, staying ahead of the curve by developing AI-related competencies will be a smart move—even if job postings haven’t fully caught up yet.

Reference

Bernard, B. (2025, February 12). GenAI Still Rarely Mentioned in White-Collar Job Postings. Hiring Lab. Retrieved from https://www.hiringlab.org/en-ca/2025/02/12/genai-still-rarely-mentioned-in-white-collar-job-postings/

Photo by Shridhar Gupta