US job creation surged last month to the highest in five years, with more workers reporting that employers are hiring more than firing, according to a Gallup poll released Wednesday.

Gallup's US Job Creation Index increased to 22 in May, the highest score for any month since April 2008, and a major improvement from the all-time monthly low of -5 in February and April 2009 amid the height of the worst US recession in decades.

The net job creation score is based on 37 percent of workers surveyed telling Gallup their employer is expanding the size of its workforce, and 15 percent reporting their company is laying off people and reducing the size of its workforce.

The percentage "hiring" is the highest since August 2008 and the percentage "letting people go" is the lowest since March 2008, the poll found.

Regionally, job creation is also picking up, with jobs in the East and West ticking up to the highest levels seen since mid-2008.

Net job creation also improved in the South last month, but is not quite as high as in April 2012, although it remains among the region's highest levels on record.

Job creation in the Midwest saw no gains in May, but still remains the highest for any region, as has been the case throughout this year and during much of 2012, Gallup found.

Nongovernment workers continue to report job creation at their workplaces, which is among the highest since Gallup began tracking job creation in 2008.

Federal government job creation continued to climb in May, following a collapse in March after the federal budget sequestration cuts went into effect. Still, net job creation for this group remains in negative territory at -7 in May.

Last month's boost in job creation is partly tied to seasonal factors, as hiring tends to pick up in the spring each year. If job creation improves further in the months ahead, it could be a strong sign of real improvement in the job market, Gallup found.