If you’ve set your sights on earning more this year, you’re not alone. Salary negotiation in 2025 has become more than just a conversation—it’s a skill. With the cost of living on the rise and job markets shifting, knowing how to ask for a raise (and get it) is essential.
Make Sure You Earned That Raise
First off, showing up every day doesn’t cut it anymore. You’ve got to prove you’re punching above your salary. That means real metrics: deals closed, clients won, processes smoothed out, cost-savings, glowing customer or colleague feedback—whatever demonstrates ROI.
Canada’s average full-time salary is around CAD 72,000/year ($6,000/month) and climbing—averaging slightly over CAD 71,100 according to multiple 2025 reports. High-demand fields like tech, finance, and healthcare often exceed these numbers. So, first step: establish clearly how you’re delivering more than the basic job description.
Know the Market (and Your Industry)
Don’t go in blind. Use Canadian salary tools like the Robert Half 2025 Canada Salary Guide or tools like Glassdoor, Indeed, Payscale, and Talent.com to benchmark your role in your region. Salaries vary by city:
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Toronto averages around CAD 73,000
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Vancouver sits near CAD 71,000
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Montreal is about CAD 71,000
Also take note of your industry’s health. Canada’s unemployment rate for April 2025 was 6.9%, with hourly wages rising about 4% year-over-year to CAD 36.94/h. That growth matters—it indicates where leverage might exist.
Timing Is Key
You want your ask to feel natural. Target a time when your boss isn’t swamped—avoid budget crunches or peak business periods. Ideally, this aligns with performance reviews. Or wait until just after your latest win—closing a big deal, beating targets, completing a major project. That recency effect works in your favor.
A handy Canadian resource on timing and tactics is Robert Half’s article When and How to Negotiate Salary for a New Job in Canada. Even though it’s about new roles, the strategies perfectly apply to internal raises.
Build Your “Why I Deserve It” Portfolio
Walk into your discussion fully armed:
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Concrete achievements – revenue, productivity improvements, savings, etc., with numbers.
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Relevant feedback – client or colleague praise, especially including email quotes.
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Market data – salary benchmarks for your role and region.
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Soft wins – training you spearheaded, mentoring, efficiency tweaks, company culture boosts.
Organize it in a short, bullet-point doc or a clean slide deck. Give a copy to your boss ahead or bring it along. It shows effort and makes it easy for them to advocate on your behalf.
Open the Conversation
Say something like:
“I’m proud of what I achieved this quarter—[highlight achievement]. Based on my market research, people with similar responsibilities in [your city/industry] are earning in the range of CAD X to CAD Y. I’d love to talk about adjusting my compensation to reflect that contribution.”
Be calm, confident, and clear. Your tone matters just as much as your data.
Negotiate with Flexibility
You might not get everything you ask for—and that’s okay. Prepare to negotiate beyond salary:
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Flexible hours or hybrid/remote arrangements—Robert Half reports 39% of Canadian companies now offer hybrid and 37% flexible scheduling.
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Additional vacation days, professional development budget, performance bonuses, or equity options.
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If salary isn’t possible now, ask about setting goals and revisiting in 3–6 months.
If your request is declined, say, “Thanks for considering this. What would I need to do to revisit this in six months?” That keeps the door open.
Avoid These Pitfalls
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Don’t go personal. Saying “I need more cash to buy a house” isn’t compelling.
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Don’t overshoot unreasonably. Set a range at the high end of market norms so there’s room to settle near the middle.
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Avoid comparing directly with co-workers. That can feel awkward or unethical.
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Stay professional. No tears, no threats to quit.
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Let them make the decision. Frame it as a mutual win: your value helps the company, too.
Stay in the Loop
If your boss needs approvals, politely ask for timelines and next steps. After the meeting, send a thank-you email summarizing what was agreed or next steps to follow. This keeps things professional and documented.
Bonus Tips – Canada-Specific Updates
Here’s what’s new in 2025:
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Annual merit increases across Canada are averaging around 3.2%, with total compensation bumps around 3.5% . So aiming for a 5–10% increase is on the ambitious—but not unreasonable—side.
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Union presence remains high—about 30% of Canadian workers are unionized, giving more sway to collective bargaining. That’s something private-sector employees can learn from: data-backed, consistent negotiation works.
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Cost of living vs. inflation: Canadian inflation was about 3.4% in 2025, with wage growth lagging unless you’re in high-demand sectors.
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High-growth industries: Tech, digital marketing, finance, healthcare, cloud computing, cybersecurity, AI—many of these roles have seen 9%+ wage increases, some reaching CAD 100,000+ annually.
Resources to Learn More
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2025 Canada Salary Guide from Robert Half: read the full report here
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Salary benchmarks by role and region: check out sites like Glassdoor, Indeed, Payscale, Robert Half, Talent.com, and the federally released Statistics Canada tables.
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Canadian labor stats & economy: StatsCan’s breakdown of unemployment, participation, and real wage trends
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Sector-specific trends: Morgan McKinley and Randstad 2025 guides for sector highlights.
Final Thought
Asking for a raise isn’t just about getting paid more. It’s about showing you’re invested, informed, and improving the company. In today’s Canadian market, built on hard data and real impact, that voice counts.
About the Author
Simon Chou is the Advisor and CEO at BCjobs.ca. Over the course of his career, he carved a niche in brand development, marketing strategy, and online presence for startups. In Addition to BCJobs.ca, Simon is hosting unfiltered conversations with marketing experts in our podcast “Marketing On Mars”. Tune into our last episode to hear from Marketing Leaders how they approach work and how they grew in their careers.
