Unemployment rate reaches 6.8% in November as more Canadians seek work

Employment in Canada rose by 51,000 last month, while the unemployment rate edged up to 6.8 percent, its highest level since January 2017 outside of pandemic years, according to the latest Labour Force Survey data released Friday.

“Employment increased by 51,000 (+0.2%) in November,” the report said, noting that job growth was concentrated in full-time positions. The overall employment rate, the proportion of people aged 15 and older who hold jobs, remained at 60.6 percent in November, the report said.

The unemployment rate, meanwhile, moved up by 0.3 percentage points in November as more people entered the labour market, the survey said. The number of unemployed individuals climbed by 87,000 (+6.1%) to 1.5 million, up 22.2 percent compared with a year earlier, the data showed.

Among demographic groups, “employment increased by 45,000 (+0.6%) among core-aged (25 to 54 years old) men,” the report said, while employment fell among women aged 55 to 64. The survey showed employment was little changed among other major age groups.

By sector, job gains were recorded in wholesale and retail trade, construction, professional, scientific and technical services, educational services, and accommodation and food services. Employment declined in manufacturing, transportation and warehousing, and natural resources, the survey said.

Across provinces, Alberta, Quebec, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island posted higher employment levels, while other provinces saw little change, the report said. Alberta and Quebec accounted for most of the national employment increase last month. Ontario’s unemployment rate, at 7.6 percent, was up for November as more Ontarians looked for work, according to the data.

Average hourly wages rose 4.1 percent to $35.68 on a year-over-year basis in November, compared with a 4.9 percent increase in October, the survey said. Total hours worked were little changed last month but remained up 1.9 percent from a year earlier.

Public sector employment accounted for most of November’s increase, rising by 45,000 (+1.0%), while private sector employment and self-employment showed little change, the data said. Over the past year, public sector employment grew by 2.9 percent, driven by gains in health care and social assistance and educational services, while private sector employment grew at a slower pace, the report said.

Youth unemployment rose to 13.9 percent in November, while core-aged women saw their jobless rate climb for the third consecutive month, the survey said. The proportion of long-term unemployed, those out of work for 27 weeks or more, also grew compared with a year earlier, the data showed.

The report highlighted that 29.2 percent of Canadians aged 25 to 54 had taken some form of training outside the regular education system in the previous 12 months. Most of these training activities were job-specific, underscoring the importance of employer-driven skills development, the survey said.

Hybrid work arrangements remained stable, but among those who worked both at home and on-site, a larger share spent at least half of their hours away from home last month, the data indicated. This shift was particularly noted in the public administration sector, according to the report.

Unemployment rates by city

Sorted from the highest to lowest using November 2024 data.