06:04 AM EST, 11/11/2025 (MT Newswires) -- The recent rebound in Canadian employment is led by large firms with more than 500 employees, said Bank of Montreal (BMO).

In fact, that's been the story for a while, with large firms creating a net 592,000 positions this year (on a non-seasonally adjusted basis), while firms with 500 or fewer workers have cut staff by 300,000, noted the bank.

In addition, job gains among large firms are spread across industries, led by education and public administration, it pointed out.

The difference in hiring trends may reflect the greater ability of large firms to adjust to tariffs and an uncertain policy environment, stated BMO.

This divergence by firm size raises a downside risk, according to the bank. Large firms account for only 20% of total employment. So, unless they keep punching above their weight -- or smaller companies ramp up hiring -- overall job growth could weaken.