Unemployment Rate in Canada increased to 7 percent in May from 6.90 percent in April of 2025. This dataset provides - Canada Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Regional unemployment rates used by the Employment Insurance program, by effective date, current month.

Number of persons in the labour force (employment and unemployment), unemployment rate, participation rate and employment rate by province, gender and age group. Data are presented for 12 months earlier, previous month and current month, as well as year-over-year and month-to-month level change and percentage change. Data are also available for the standard error of the estimate, the standard error of the month-to-month change and the standard error of the year-over-year change.

This statistic shows the unemployment rate in Canada in June 2024, by metropolitan area. In 2024, about 8.5 percent of the labor force in the Calgary metropolitan area (Alberta) was unemployed.

The number of people who are unemployed as a percentage of the active labour force (i.e. employed and unemployed).

The statistic shows the unemployment rate in Canada from 2019 to 2023, with projections up until 2029. In 2023, the unemployment rate in Canada was at around 5.41 percent. Canada’s economy Three-quarter of Canada’s workforce is employed in the services sector, with the other two sectors, agriculture and industry, accounting for the rest of Canada’s employment. The country’s main export and import partner is the United States. Although both export and import figures have increased over the last few years, the trade balance of goods in Canada – i.e. the value of Canada’s exports minus the value of its imports – has slumped dramatically since the economic crisis hit in 2008. In 2009, for the first time in a decade, Canada reported a trade deficit, and the figures are still struggling to recover. Additionally, Canada’s public debt has been increasing since the crisis. Although a few key figures are still not back to the usual level, Canada and its economy seem to have more or less bounced back from the crisis; as can be seen above, the unemployment rate is gradually decreasing, for example, and gross domestic product / GDP in Canada has been increasing steadily. Canada is thus among the countries with the largest proportion of global gross domestic product / GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity. Canada is among the leading trading nations worldwide, and an important part of its economy is the export of oil. The country hosts significant oil resources, in fact, its capacity is the third-largest after those of Saudi Arabia and Venezuela.

This statistic shows the rate of unemployment in Ontario, Canada from 2000 to 2023. In 2023, 5.7 percent of the labor force was unemployed in Ontario.

In 2023, the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador had the highest unemployment rate in Canada. That year, it had a ten percent unemployment rate. In comparison, Québec had the lowest unemployment rate at 4.5 percent.

Nunavut

Nunavut is the largest and most northern province of Canada. Their economy is powered by many industries which include mining, oil, gas, hunting, fishing, and transportation. They have a high amount of mineral resources and many of their jobs come from mining, however, the territory still suffers from a high unemployment rate, which has fluctuated since 2004. The lack of necessary education, skills, and mobility are all factors that play a part in unemployment. Most of the population identifies as Inuit. Their official languages include English, French, and several Inuit languages. The capital is Iqaluit, which is their largest community and only city. The climate in Nunavut is a polar climate due to its high latitude, and as a result, it rarely goes above 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Unemployment in Canada

The unemployment rate in Canada had been decreasing since 2009, but increased to 9.7 percent in 2020 due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Since 2006, landed immigrants have faced higher unemployment rates compared to those born in Canada. Youth unemployment in Canada has fluctuated since 1998, but has always remained in the double digits. Additionally, the average duration of unemployment in Canada in 2023 was about 17.4 weeks.

Historical chart and dataset showing Canada unemployment rate by year from 1991 to 2024.

Unemployment rate, participation rate, and employment rate by educational attainment, gender and age group, annual.

Number of employees by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) and data type (seasonally adjusted, trend-cycle and unadjusted), last 5 months. Data are also available for the standard error of the estimate, the standard error of the month-to-month change and the standard error of the year-over-year change.

Ages chart illustrates the age and gender trends across all age and gender groupings. A chart where the the covered area is primarily on the right describes a very young population while a chart where the the covered area is primarily on the left illustrates an aging population.

London's unemployment rate was *** percent in the first quarter of 2025. Since 2000, London's unemployment rate was at its highest during the fourth quarter of 2011 when it reached **** percent.

Age-sex charts emphasize the gap between the numbers of males and females at a specific age group. It also illustrates the age and gender trends across all age and gender groupings. A chart skewed heavily to the left describes a very young population while a chart skewed heavily to the right illustrates an aging population.

Ontario was the province with the most immigrants in 2024, with 197,657 immigrants. Nunavut, Canada’s northernmost territory, had 56 immigrants arrive in the same period. Immigration to Canada Over the past 20 years, the number of immigrants to Canada has held steady and is just about evenly split between men and women. Asian countries dominate the list of leading countries of birth for foreign-born residents of Canada, although the United Kingdom, the United States, and Italy all make the list as well. Unemployment among immigrants In 2023, the unemployment rate for immigrants in Canada was highest among those who had been in the country for five years or less. The unemployment rate decreased the longer someone had been in Canada, and unemployment was lowest among those who had been in the country for more than ten years, coming more into line with the average unemployment rate for the whole of Canada.

Number of persons in the labour force (employment and unemployment), unemployment rate, participation rate and employment rate by census metropolitan area. Data are presented for 12 months earlier, previous month and current month, as well as year-over-year and month-to-month level change and percentage change. Data are also available for the standard error of the estimate, the standard error of the month-to-month change and the standard error of the year-over-year change.

The median income indicates the income bracket separating the income earners into two halves of equal size.

The median age indicates the age separating the population group into two halves of equal size.

Number of persons in the labour force (employment and unemployment) and unemployment rate, by North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), gender and age group.

The marital status is another term for civil status, or person's current relationship with a partner.