Artificial intelligence (AI) has been received by workforces globally with mixed emotions, but now that AI has been integrated in workplaces coast-to-coast, Canadians are feeling the impact on their long-term career decisions.
2026 Canadian Employment Pulse Check, conducted by Borderless AI, a Canadian Employer of Record (EOR) and global payroll platform, found that 46 per cent of employed Canadians say AI has had an impact on their long-term career, with those having a university education feeling the most impact.
More than one quarter (26 per cent) feel more secure and are actively building new skills to work with and utilize AI, while 19 per cent of employed Canadians feel less secure in their role or career path as AI automates some workflows and capabilities.
“Over the past year, we’ve seen shifts from AI fear from both employees and employers looking to make the most of this new tool,” says Willson Cross, CEO and Co-founder of Borderless AI. “ As companies have pushed towards broader AI adoption, employees are no longer fearful that AI can replace them, and are finding ways to market themselves as experts to unlock the potential of AI tools. While many headlines on AI replacing workplaces exist, employers and employees are quickly seeing that AI is only as effective as those who are using it, becoming an in-demand skill in today’s job market.”
Are University graduates impacted by AI?
Across education levels, Canadians with university degrees and higher are seeing the impact of AI more heavily (59 per cent), compared to those with a high school diploma (32 per cent). But this only scratches the surface.
Whether this impact is positive or negative remains split. Canadians with university education or higher feel the least secure in their roles due to AI (at 24 per cent) compared to only 13 per cent of high school graduates. This concern comes even as 26 per cent of Canadians with a university degree or higher are actively building new skills because of AI.
How are young Canadian workers impacted by AI?
Across age groups, AI has the largest impact on young Canadians ages 18-24, with older generations reporting less impact.
Young Canadians ages 18-24 are feeling less secure in entry-level roles. As of March, unemployment among young Canadians has grown to 13.8 per cent, according to Statistics Canada. With various factors contributing to this increase, 57 per cent of young Canadians see AI impacting long-term career opportunities.
Of young Canadians impacted by AI, 49 per cent are less secure, rethinking their career path or even considering changing industries/roles due to AI.
What are the biggest concerns for Canadians navigating the job market?
Despite all the excitement around AI, employed Canadians are most concerned about wage stagnation (41 per cent), followed by difficulty finding new work (30 per cent), and fewer opportunities for career advancement (26 per cent). This comes as the North American job market shifts from an employee to an employer market, with fewer opportunities for Canadians to jump for pay increases and decreased bargaining power when discussing wages and benefits.
While 19 per cent are still concerned AI and automation may replace their roles entirely, rising unemployment and cost of living have brought the conversation back to the financial offering an employer provides.
How are Canadians selecting their employers?
As inflation continues to be a challenge for Canadians, Canadians’ top considerations when selecting an employer include: salary and compensation (74 per cent), followed by work-life balance (59 per cent), job security (38 per cent), and flexible workplace options (33 per cent).
Notably, men and women both value salary and compensation, but following that, there’s a divide on the significance of workplace flexibility options. Women prioritize workplace flexibility with 40 per cent considering it, compared to only 26 per cent of men.
For young Canadians just entering the workforce, salary is the key factor (78 per cent).
What motivates Canadians to pursue opportunities with international companies?
In Canada’s job market, there’s a healthy mix of Canadian-owned and international companies. When looking to work for an international company over Canadian owned, 78 per cent of Canadians would consider this if offered a higher salary. Other factors include remote work flexibility (53 per cent), better job security (36 per cent), and more career options (30 per cent).
“Canadian pride is alive in Canada’s job market, but as the job market tightens, what employers can offer employees becomes the deciding factor,” says Cross. “Benefits, contribution matching, lieu time, and more are increasingly sweetening the deal for Canadians looking for the best opportunity for them. Canadians want jobs that also bring value to them, which is something companies need to be aware of when hiring.”
About Borderless AI
Borderless AI is an AI-native Employer of Record (EOR) and global payroll platform that helps companies onboard, pay, and manage talent in 170+ countries without setting up foreign entities. Borderless AI combines owned legal entities with real-time global payroll, local benefits, and embedded compliance to enable People and Finance teams to scale globally without sacrificing speed, control, or employee experience. Backed by investors including Aglaé Ventures (LVMH) and Susquehanna International Group, Borderless AI powers hundreds of modern teams across fintech, SaaS, crypto, and consumer brands.
Survey Methodology
These findings are from a survey conducted by Borderless AI from April 21st to April 23rd, 2026, among a representative sample of 1502 online adult Canadians, including 905 who work or are looking for work and are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/-2.5 (total sample) / +/- 3.3% (working sample) percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260512957830/en/
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