New CFA Institute survey finds confidence in landing a job has slipped, and fear of automation is growing
Canadian graduates entering the workforce continue to identify finance as the most attractive and stable career destination, but their confidence in navigating the hiring process is slipping — and AI is increasingly at the center of their anxiety.
The 2026 CFA Institute Graduate Outlook Survey, which polled 1,000 Canadian respondents ages 18 to 25 as part of a broader 9,000-person global study conducted in March and April, found that 28% of Canadian graduates rank finance and investment as the top sector for long-term stability and appeal. That figure held steady from a year earlier and outpaced second-place advertising, PR and marketing at 11%.
Finance also led as the undergraduate major graduates considered most valuable for landing a job, at 28%, ahead of medicine at 20% and business at 19%.
Despite the sector's enduring pull, worry about getting past the digital front door has intensified sharply.
AI screening in the recruitment process ranked as the single biggest career concern among Canadian graduates, cited by 19%, nearly double the 10% who flagged it in 2025. That placed it well above more traditional anxieties like peer competition at 12% and low pay in a preferred sector at 11%.
The anxiety about AI's role in hiring stands in contrast to a broader softening of fears about automation displacing workers. Just 48% of respondents said AI or automation would make it harder to secure the job they want, down from 73% the year before, a 25-point retreat that suggests graduates are increasingly making their peace with an AI-shaped labor market, even as they grow warier of its role as gatekeeper.
Nearly four in five Canadian graduates said they use AI tools to assist with job or internship applications, a higher adoption rate than the 67% global average. And 33% said AI competencies would strengthen their job market prospects, while 35% said soft skills development remained a top priority, suggesting graduates see the two as complementary rather than competing.
Confidence gap widens
Overall confidence remains reasonably high with 82% of Canadian graduates saying they feel equipped with the skills needed to succeed in their chosen career, and 73% expressed confidence in their ability to land a professional job in the current economic environment.
But Canadians trailed the global averages on nearly every confidence measure — 89% globally felt ready with the right skills, and 75% globally felt confident about securing a role in their preferred sector, compared with 71% in Canada.
The gap is particularly pronounced when it comes to understanding what employers want. Only 75% of Canadian graduates said they know what hiring managers are looking for, down from 80% in 2025 and continuing a multi-year slide from 80% in 2023.
Credentials losing their shine
One of the more striking findings involves the perceived value of professional certifications.
While 85% of Canadian respondents agreed that upskilling and post-graduate qualifications matter in today's job market, the share who believe certifications will translate into higher earnings collapsed from 83% in 2025 to just 41% this year. Confidence that a certification provides a competitive edge fell similarly, from 81% to 39%.
That skepticism puts Canadian graduates well out of step with their global peers: 78% of respondents globally said certifications help secure higher earnings, and 76% said they confer a job market edge.
The decline may reflect broader disillusionment with formal credentials in an environment where practical experience and demonstrated skills appear to carry more weight.
When asked what gives them an advantage in the job market, Canadian graduates most frequently cited work experience at 32% and skills acquired at 31%. By comparison, just 9% pointed to internships and 17% to specialized subject matter expertise.
What they want from work
On the question of what they seek in an employer, Canadian graduates diverge markedly from global norms, particularly on pay.
Salary was cited by only 20% as a top factor, compared with a global average of 50%. Instead, benefits led at 34%, followed by flexible working arrangements at 32%, career progression at 26% and long-term stability at 24%.
Thirty-eight percent said they are willing to take career risks to pursue their ideal role such as switching industries, relocating or accepting lower pay, while 36% said job security takes precedence, a split that reflects competing impulses within the same generation.
The survey was fielded online by Dynata from March 18 through April 6, 2026.
