Canadian Employment Up Slightly in September; Unemployment Edges Lower

Statistics Canada (StatCan) reported today (10-7-22) that employment in Canada was little changed in September. After declining in August, employment in Canada was up 21,000 in September with both full-time and part-time work holding steady. However, when compared to May 2022, when employment last increased, there were 92,000, or 0.5%, fewer Canadians working in September.

Gains in educational service and health care and social assistance were offset by losses in manufacturing; information, culture, and recreation; transportation and warehousing; and public administration.

After unemployment increased 0.5% to 5.4% in August, the number of unemployed Canadians fell 41,000, or 3.7%, in September, dropping the unemployment rate to 5.2%.

The adjusted unemployment rate in September—which includes people who wanted a job but were not actively looking for one—was little changed. Long term unemployment—the number of people who have been continuously unemployed for 27 weeks or more—declined by 18,000 in September, which helped to offset the August increase of 22,000, or 13.7%.