How BFSI talent strategies are evolving in 2025: Insights for future-ready hiring

In 2025, Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) organizations are reimagining how they attract, hire, and retain talent. The pressure to keep pace with digital transformation, economic volatility, and widening skills gaps is driving a shift toward more agile, skills-first workforce strategies.

Drawing on insights from Everest Group and CBRE’s Scoring Tech Talent , this report outlines how leading BFSI firms are adapting, and what it takes to build a future-ready workforce.

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Key talent insights for BFSI

• Over 50% of the BFSI workforce needs reskilling to meet digital demands.
• Just 15% of professionals are AI-ready, despite AI job postings rising 27% in Q2 2024.
• Cost and productivity are top priorities, with 70% of firms focused on productivity and 65% cutting people costs.
• Skills-first hiring is essential, Toronto added 95,900 tech jobs between 2018–2023 but produced only 34,800 tech graduates, highlighting the need to hire for skills, not just credentials.

Why Canadian BFSI Leaders should pay attention

The BFSI sector is weathering a perfect storm, where economic pressure, regulatory complexity, and rapid technological disruption collide. Traditional workforce models, once steady and predictable, are now straining under the weight of change. To stay competitive, BFSI leaders must bridge the widening divide between bold innovation and workforce readiness, or risk being left behind in turbulence.

Building a future-ready BFSI workforce

• Digital skills are in demand, but talent distribution is uneven: AI, cloud, and cybersecurity roles are expanding rapidly across Canada. However, the majority of AI talent remains concentrated in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montréal, while demand is growing nationwide (CBRE, 2024). This geographic imbalance underscores the need for broader access to digital skills and targeted reskilling initiatives.
• Cost pressures require smarter workforce strategies: With average tech salaries in Canada ranging from $105,000 to $120,000, organizations are increasingly exploring cost-effective markets such as Montréal and Calgary (CBRE, 2024). Leveraging AI-driven hiring tools and predictive analytics enables firms to optimize recruitment, reduce attrition, and scale efficiently.

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• Flexibility is now a strategic imperative: The shift toward freelancers, contractors, and internal gig workers reflects a broader move to agile workforce models. As tech talent disperses beyond traditional urban centres, flexible engagement strategies are proving essential for accessing specialized skills and maintaining operational agility (CBRE, 2024).

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• Skills-first hiring and employer branding are critical: Between 2018 and 2023, Toronto added nearly 96,000 tech jobs but produced only 35,000 tech graduates (CBRE, 2024). Highlighting the skill gap, importance of skills-first hiring approaches, and the need for a strong employer brand to attract and retain top talent in a competitive market.

Reimagine your strategy to build a future-ready BFSI workforce

The future of talent in the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sector will be defined by those who take action today. Now is the time to evaluate your current approach and evolve it for what’s next.

Download the BFSI report and unlock future-ready hiring insights