The outlook for North America’s job market this year is positive, according to a study released Jan. 25 by Express Employment Professionals.

The Toronto company’s research found that 91 percent of the nearly 2,000 Canadian and U.S. firms surveyed have no plans to eliminate positions. Nearly three-quarters of the respondents also claimed they will actually add workers during 2017's first quarter.

Robert A. Funk, chairman and CEO of Express Employment Professionals, waxed optimistic about the prospects for employment growth.

"The fact is, during the last few years, even though businesses have been hiring more workers, jobs weren't being created fast enough,” Funk said. “We just might pick up the pace in 2017."

The survey also revealed general and skilled labor sectors, along with administrative and clerical workers, were expected to post the biggest employment gains. These results best those from a year ago, when only 69 percent disclosed plans to hire more workers during 2016's first quarter.

To view a chart displaying the key findings, visit http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1083853.jpg.