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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Canada LFS: Unemployment Rate: sa: Quebec data was reported at 5.300 % in Feb 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.400 % for Jan 2025. Canada LFS: Unemployment Rate: sa: Quebec data is updated monthly, averaging 9.000 % from Jan 1976 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 590 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18.200 % in Apr 2020 and a record low of 3.800 % in Nov 2022. Canada LFS: Unemployment Rate: sa: Quebec data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Canada. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.G021: Labour Force Survey: Unemployment. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

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.

Canada CA: Unemployment Rate data was reported at 5.413 % in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 5.283 % for 2022. Canada CA: Unemployment Rate data is updated yearly, averaging 7.551 % from Dec 1969 (Median) to 2023, with 54 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.037 % in 1983 and a record low of 4.700 % in 1969. Canada CA: Unemployment Rate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.IMF.IFS: Labour Force, Employment and Unemployment: Annual.

The unemployment rate in Canada increased by 0.1 percentage points (+1.89 percent) in 2023 in comparison to the previous year. In total, the unemployment rate amounted to 5.37 percent in 2023. This increase was preceded by a declining unemployment rate.The unemployment rate refers to the share of the workforce that is currently not working but is actively searching for work. It does not include the economically inactive population, such as the long-term unemployed, those aged under 15 years, or retired persons.

Number of persons in the labour force (employment and unemployment) and not in the labour force, unemployment rate, participation rate, and employment rate, by immigrant status and age group, last 5 years.

Canada LFS: Unemployment Rate: sa: New Brunswick data was reported at 7.500 % in Feb 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 6.400 % for Jan 2025. Canada LFS: Unemployment Rate: sa: New Brunswick data is updated monthly, averaging 10.700 % from Jan 1976 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 590 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 16.500 % in Mar 1985 and a record low of 5.800 % in Mar 2023. Canada LFS: Unemployment Rate: sa: New Brunswick data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Canada. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.G021: Labour Force Survey: Unemployment. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

Number of persons in the labour force (employment and unemployment) and not in the labour force, unemployment rate, participation rate and employment rate by Atlantic region, Central provinces, Western provinces, Indigenous population (First Nations or Métis) and Non-Indigenous population, sex, and age group, last 5 years.

Number of persons in the labour force (employment and unemployment) and not in the labour force, unemployment rate, participation rate, and employment rate, by educational degree, gender and age group, annual.

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a monthly survey of Canadian households carried out by Statistics Canada. It was developed after the Second World War to satisfy a need for reliable and timely data on the labour market due to the massive labour market changes involved in the transition from a war to peace-time economy. The objectives of the LFS have been to divide the working-age population into three mutually exclusive labour force status categories (employed, unemployed, and not in the labour force) and to provide descriptive and explanatory data on each of these groups. With the release of the survey results only 10 days after the completion of data collection, the LFS estimates are the first of the major monthly economic data series to be released. The LFS is the source of Canada's official unemployment rates, including the rates used by Employment and Social Development Canada in the calculation of Employment Insurance (EI) eligibility and benefit criteria. Data from the survey also provide information on major labour market trends, such as shifts in employment across industrial sectors, hours worked and labour force participation. The LFS also provides employment estimates by industry, occupation, public and private sector, hours worked and much more, all cross-classifiable by a variety of demographic characteristics. Estimates are produced for Canada, the provinces, the territories and a large number of sub-provincial regions. For employees, data on wage rates, union status, job permanency and establishment size are also produced.

Canada unemployment rate for 2023 was 5.37%, a 0.09% increase from 2022.

• Canada unemployment rate for 2022 was 5.28%, a 2.25% decline from 2021.
• Canada unemployment rate for 2021 was 7.53%, a 2.13% decline from 2020.
• Canada unemployment rate for 2020 was 9.66%, a 3.97% increase from 2019.

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 and employment rate, by National Occupational Classification (NOC) and gender.