In 2023, 5.4 percent of the labor force in Canada was unemployed. This is a slight increase from the previous year, when unemployment stood at 5.3 percent.

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

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

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

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 unemployment rate in Canada in 2023, distinguished by immigrant status. In 2023, about 5.1 percent of people born in Canada were unemployed.

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.

Key information about Canada Unemployment Rate

• Canada Unemployment Rate dropped to 6.60% in Jan 2025, from the previously reported figure of 6.70% in Dec 2024.
• Canada Unemployment Rate is updated monthly, available from Jan 1976 to Jan 2025, with an average rate of 7.60%.
• The data reached an all-time high of 14.20% in May 2020 and a record low of 4.80% in Jul 2022.
• The data is reported by reported by Statistics Canada.
• In the latest reports, Canada Population reached 41.29 million people in Jun 2024.

Youth Unemployment Rate in Canada decreased to 12.90 percent in February from 13.60 percent in January of 2025. This dataset provides - Canada Youth Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Table depicting the rate of unemployment within the Employment Insurance Regions across Canada.

Unemployment rates of 25- to 29-year-olds, by educational attainment, Canada and jurisdictions. This table is included in Section E: Transitions and outcomes: Labour market outcomes of the Pan Canadian Education Indicators Program (PCEIP). PCEIP draws from a wide variety of data sources to provide information on the school-age population, elementary, secondary and postsecondary education, transitions, and labour market outcomes. The program presents indicators for all of Canada, the provinces, the territories, as well as selected international comparisons and comparisons over time. PCEIP is an ongoing initiative of the Canadian Education Statistics Council, a partnership between Statistics Canada and the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada that provides a set of statistical measures on education systems in Canada.

Graph and download economic data for Harmonized Unemployment Rate: All Persons for Canada (DISCONTINUED) (CANURHARMMDSMEI) from Jan 1956 to Apr 2012 about harmonized, Canada, unemployment, and rate.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Unemployment Rate Total: 15 Years or over for Canada (LRUNTTTTCAM156N) from Jan 1955 to Feb 2025 about 15 years +, Canada, unemployment, and rate.

This table contains 276 series, with data for years 2015 - 2016 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (138 items: Canada; Newfoundland and Labrador; Eastern Regional Integrated Health Authority, Newfoundland and Labrador; Central Regional Integrated Health Authority, Newfoundland and Labrador; ...); Unemployment rate (2 items: Unemployment rate, 15 years and over; Unemployment rate, 15 to 24 years).

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Unemployment Rate Female: From 25 to 54 Years for Canada (LRUN25FECAM156S) from Jan 1976 to Feb 2025 about 25 to 54 years, females, Canada, unemployment, and rate.

This statistic shows the rate of unemployment in Canada in 2022, by industry. In 2022, the agricultural industry in Canada had an unemployment rate of 4.4 percent. The finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing industry had the lowest unemployment rate, at 1.3 percent.

Number of employees and unemployment rate by population centre and rural area, gender and age group, annual.

Number of persons in the labour force (employment and unemployment), unemployment rate, participation rate and employment rate by data type (seasonally adjusted and trend-cycle), gender and age group. 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.

Supplementary unemployment rates by gender and age group, monthly.

Unemployment rate and employment rate by type of student during summer months, gender and age group. Data are also available for the standard error of the estimate and the standard error of the year-over-year change.