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.

Number of persons in the labour force (employment and unemployment), unemployment rate, participation rate and employment rate by age group and gender. 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 public use microdata file (PUMF) contains non-aggregated data for a wide variety of variables collected from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The LFS collects monthly information on the labour market activities of Canada's working age population. This product is for users who prefer to do their own analysis by focusing on specific subgroups in the population or by cross-classifying variables that are not in our catalogued products.

Number of persons in the labour force (employment and unemployment) and not in the labour force, unemployment rate, participation rate, and employment rate, by National Occupational Classification for Statistics (NOC-S) and sex, last 5 years.

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 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.

The Labour Force Survey provides estimates of employment and unemployment. 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. LFS data are used to produce the well-known unemployment rate as well as other standard labour market indicators such as the employment rate and the participation rate. 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 LFS: Unemployment Rate: Annual data was reported at 6.300 % in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 5.400 % for 2023. Canada LFS: Unemployment Rate: Annual data is updated yearly, averaging 7.600 % from Dec 1976 (Median) to 2024, with 49 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.000 % in 1983 and a record low of 5.300 % in 2022. Canada LFS: Unemployment Rate: Annual 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.

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.

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

Number of persons in the labour force (employment and unemployment) and not in the labour force, unemployment rate, participation rate, and employment rate, by National Occupational Classification for Statistics (NOC-S) and sex, last 5 months.

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]

Canada LFS: Employment data was reported at 20,758.000 Person th in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 20,768.600 Person th for Feb 2025. Canada LFS: Employment data is updated monthly, averaging 14,732.800 Person th from Jan 1976 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 591 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21,048.500 Person th in Jun 2024 and a record low of 9,271.400 Person th in Jan 1976. Canada LFS: Employment data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Canada. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.G012: Labour Force Survey: Employment.

LFS: Usual Hours Worked: Male: Average Hours data was reported at 38.100 Hour in Feb 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 38.200 Hour for Jan 2025. LFS: Usual Hours Worked: Male: Average Hours data is updated monthly, averaging 40.500 Hour from Jan 1976 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 590 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 43.000 Hour in Aug 1989 and a record low of 38.100 Hour in Feb 2025. LFS: Usual Hours Worked: Male: Average Hours data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Canada. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.G060: Labour Force Survey: Usual Hours Worked.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

households/individuals

Kind of data

survey

Frequency of data collection

Monthly

Sampling procedure

Sample size:

LFS: Employment: sa: Ontario data was reported at 8,229.800 Person th in Mar 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 8,257.300 Person th for Feb 2025. LFS: Employment: sa: Ontario data is updated monthly, averaging 5,829.900 Person th from Jan 1976 (Median) to Mar 2025, with 591 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8,257.300 Person th in Feb 2025 and a record low of 3,707.400 Person th in Jan 1976. LFS: Employment: sa: Ontario data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Canada. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.G012: Labour Force Survey: Employment.

Canada LFS: Population: Annual: 15 Years & Above: Labour Force data was reported at 22,134.800 Person th in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 21,493.000 Person th for 2023. Canada LFS: Population: Annual: 15 Years & Above: Labour Force data is updated yearly, averaging 15,841.900 Person th from Dec 1976 (Median) to 2024, with 49 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22,134.800 Person th in 2024 and a record low of 10,491.300 Person th in 1976. Canada LFS: Population: Annual: 15 Years & Above: Labour Force data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Canada. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.G005: Labour Force Survey: Population.

This dataset includes monthly and annual releases produced by BC Stats using data primarily from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). Tables on earnings and employment trends also reference the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Adapted from Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey (LFS) and Consumer Price Index (CPI), accessed various times throughout 2025. For the specific month of access, please refer to the individual resource. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.

Statistics Canada publishes monthly labour force statistics for all Canadian Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) and provinces. In addition, the City of Toronto purchases a special run from Statistics Canada of Labour Force Survey (LFS) data for city of Toronto residents (i.e. separate from the rest of the Toronto CMA). LFS data are collected by place of residence, and therefore city of Toronto's "employment" represents "employed residents" and not "jobs" in the city of Toronto. There are more jobs in the city of Toronto than employed city of Toronto residents. In this LFS database, you will find 22 monthly tables and 28 annual tables. Most of the tables contain data for five geographies: city of Toronto, Toronto CMA, Toronto/Hamilton/Oshawa CMAs, Ontario and Canada ( see attachment Table of Contents below a full description ). LFS data in the IVT tables are not seasonally adjusted. Top level seasonally adjusted LFS data are available in our monthly Toronto Economic Bulletin on Open Data. LFS is based on a monthly sample of approximately 2,800 households in the Toronto CMA, about half of the sample is from the city of Toronto; therefore, estimates will vary from the results of a complete census. LFS follows a rotating panel sample design, in which households remain in the sample for six consecutive months. The total sample consists of six representative sub-samples of panels, and each month a panel is replaced after completing its six month stay in the survey. Outgoing households are replaced by households in the same or similar area. This results in a five-sixths month-to-month sample overlap, which makes the design efficient for estimating month-to-month changes. The rotation after six months prevents undue respondent burden for households that are selected for the survey ( see attachment Guide to the Labour Force Survey for more information). Upon reviewing the data, you will see that at least some cells in the IVT tables have been suppressed. For confidentiality reasons, Statistics Canada suppresses Labour Force Survey data for any cell that corresponds to less than 1,500 persons. At the beginning of 2015, Statistics Canada substantially changed the methodology used to produce LFS population estimates for the city of Toronto. These changes have resulted in large and inexplicable swings in population and related counts, which are not real. However, the unemployment and participation rates for city residents showed very little change in this revision. The red dots in the chart above represents Statistics Canada's Annual Demographics estimates for the populations of the city of Toronto, age 15 and over. These are only estimates, but they are generally accepted as the most accurate estimates for the city's population. (Source: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/91-214-x/91-214-x2018000-eng.htm). The most recent Statistics Canada population estimate for the city of Toronto is for July 1, 2015; therefore, we have to use projections thereafter. There are several population projections for the city. The projection that EDC staff has chosen to use for rebasing city of Toronto LFS data is the Ontario Ministry of Finance Population Projections 2017-2041 and downloaded June, 2017 from http://www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/economy/demographics/projections/ Please see attachment Rebased Labour Force Survey for City of Toronto below for annual adjustment factors, monthly adjustment factors and an example of how to rebase the absolute numbers for the city of Toronto.

Labour Force Survey The Labour Force Survey provides estimates of employment and unemployment which are among the timeliest and important measures of performance of the Canadian economy. The LFS estimates are the first of the major monthly economic data series to be released. The Canadian Labour Force Survey was developed following the Second World War to satisfy a need for reliable and timely data on the labour market. Information was urgently required on the massive labour market changes involved in the transition from a war to a peace-time economy. Objective The main objective of the LFS is to divide the working-age population into three mutually exclusive classifications - employed, unemployed, and not in the labour force - and to provide descriptive and explanatory data on each of these. LFS data are used to produce the well-known unemployment rate as well as other standard labour market indicators such as the employment rate and the participation rate. 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, wage rates, union status, job permanency and workplace size are also produced. These data are used by different levels of government for evaluation and planning of employment programs in Canada. Regional unemployment rates are used by Employment and Social Development Canada to determine eligibility, level and duration of insurance benefits for persons living within a particular employment insurance region. The data are also used by labour market analysts, economists, consultants, planners, forecasters and academics in both the private and public sector. Collection This public use microdata file contains non-aggregated data for a wide variety of variables collected from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). It contains both personal characteristics for all individuals in the household and detailed labour force characteristics for household members 15 years of age and over. The personal characteristics include age, sex, marital status, educational attainment, and family characteristics. Detailed labour force characteristics include employment information such as class of worker, usual and actual hours of work, employee hourly and weekly wages, industry and occupation of current or most recent job, public and private sector, union status, paid or unpaid overtime hours, job permanency, hours of work lost, job tenure, and unemployment information such as duration of unemployment, methods of job search and type of job sought. Labour force characteristics are also available for students during the school year and during the summer months as well as school attendance whether full or part-time and the type of institution. LFS revisions: Labour force surveys are revised on a periodic basis. The most recent revisions took place in 2025. As of January 2025, LFS microdata and estimates have been adjusted to reflect population counts from the 2021 Census, with revisions going back to 2011. Additionally, several changes were made to key variables on the PUMFs: Survey weights (FINALWT) have been updated to use 2021 Census population control totals. Sub-provincial geography (CMA) has been updated to the 2021 Standard Geographical Classification (SGC) boundaries. All industry data (NAICS_21) was revised to use the latest standard, North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 2022. Coding enhancements were applied to improve longitudinal consistency of detailed National Occupational Classification data (NOC_10 and NOC_43). Data were revised to use the gender of person instead of sex (GENDER).