TORONTO (Reuters) – Canadian employers plan to hold staffing levels steady in the second quarter, though hiring intentions are up from a year ago, according to a survey released on Tuesday by employment services company Manpower Inc .

The vast majority, 75 percent, of employers expect to maintain their current staffing levels, suggesting stability in a moderate economic recovery.

But the survey also showed 17 percent plan to increase their staffing in the second quarter, while 6 percent expect cutbacks. Two percent are unsure of their hiring intentions.

Hiring intentions were steady across the regions.

The seasonally adjusted Canadian net employment outlook of 7 percent suggests employers see a modest hiring climate for the upcoming quarter. It was a 3 percentage point dip from the prior quarter, but up 6 percentage points from a year ago.

Manpower’s index, based on interviews with more than 1,900 Canadian employers, measures the difference between those who plan to add to their workforce and those who expect to cut staff.

The survey comes ahead of Friday’s employment report for February, where a median 20,000 jobs is expected to have been added, while the unemployment rate is seen steady at 8.3 percent.

Employers in the education and mining industries reported the most favorable results among the 10 surveyed sectors for the second quarter, with employment outlooks of 15 percent.

The Canadian results were part of the global company’s quarterly employment survey, which showed hiring intentions were up in 19 of 35 countries.