Canada Unemployment Rate Drops To 6.7% As COVID-19 Recovery Continues

Colin Singer
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0
Canada Unemployment Rate Drops To 6.7% As COVID-19 Recovery Continues

Canada jobs figures showed a continued recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, with unemployment dropping to a 20-month low of 6.7 percent in October. 

Unemployment is now just one percentage point higher than the pre-pandemic level of 5.7 percent, recorded in February 2020, according to the latest Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey.

Across Canada, employment grew by 31,000 jobs during the month, spearheaded by a number of industries, including retail trade, where 72,000 jobs were added.

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In the core working age group of 25 to 54-year-olds, employment increased by 53,00 jobs, concentrated in full-time work.

For core-aged men, employment returned to its pre-pandemic level in October, while for women in the same age group, employment is now 98,000 higher than before COVID-19 restrictions were imposed.

The figures represent a positive picture of Canada’s recovery from COVID-19.

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What Are The Labour Force Survey Highlights?

Unemployment rate (%)

6.7

Employment rate (%)

61.0

Labour force participation rate (%)

65.3

Number unemployed

1,365,600

Number working

19,162,400

Youth (15-24) unemployment rate (%)

10.2

Men (over 25) unemployment rate (%)

6.3

Women (over 25) unemployment rate (%)

5.8

Source: Statistics Canada

Provincial Canada Jobs Picture

Provincially, Ontario, British Columbia and New Brunswick spearheaded gains, while Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan saw decreases in employment levels.

Ontario added 37,000 jobs in October for its fifth consecutive month of increases. The province has gained 353,000 jobs since May for a current employment rate of 7 percent. The latest gains were concentrated in services-producing industries, focusing on retail trade.

Meanwhile, British Columbia added 10,400 jobs, although increases in full-time employment were offset by part-time decreases. 

Unemployment Rates In Canada’s Provinces

Jobs change in last month

Unemployment rate (%)

British Columbia

10,400

5.6

Alberta

-9,000

7.6

Saskatchewan

-6,500

6.2

Manitoba

-3,100

5.3

Ontario

37,000

7.0

Quebec

-300

5.6

New Brunswick

3,000

9.1

Nova Scotia

200

8.3

Prince Edward Island

400

9.1

Newfoundland & Labrador

-800

13.9

CANADA

31,200

6.7

Source: Statistics Canada

New Brunswick saw an increase of 3,000 jobs, concentrated in full-time work for core-aged men, aged 25 to 54. The province has an unemployment rate of 9.1 percent.

Of all the provinces, the lowest unemployment rates are seen in Manitoba (5.3 percent), British Columbia and Quebec (both 5.6 per cent).

Quebec City’s unemployment rate of3.8 percent is the lowest of all the Census Metropolitan Areas. The region has seen “continued year-over-year employment growth in professional, scientific and technical services and, more recently, in other services-producing industries,” according to Statistics Canada.

Canada Jobs By Industry

Two key industries saw important gains in October: retail trade and information, culture and recreation.

Retail trade added 72,000 jobs during the month, with employment returning to pre-pandemic levels for the first time since March 2021.

The mainly full-time gains were concentrated in Ontario and British Columbia.

Information, culture and recreation saw a third consecutive monthly rise, adding 15,000 jobs in October. “The upward trend … coincides with the loosening of capacity limits on recreational facilities, as well as sporting and cultural events, during the summer,” the Statistics Canada reports said.

British Columbia Draws Interest From 50 Communities For Immigrant Entrepreneur Program

Colin Singer
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0
British Columbia Draws Interest From 50 Communities For Immigrant Entrepreneur Program

Canada immigration news: More than 50 British Columbia communities are ready to participate in the second phase of a pilot program to attract immigrant entrepreneurs.

The BC PNP Entrepreneur Immigration (EI) Regional Pilot was introduced in March 2019 to attract immigrant entrepreneurs to smaller regional centres in the province.

It worked. 

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“Over the past two years, the pilot has demonstrated its ability to attract entrepreneurs from around the world and to contribute to regional economic development needs, despite the impacts of COVID-19,” claims the province in a statement.

BC Welcomes 300 New Immigrants Through Business Programs During Pandemic

Although the pandemic closed borders and put a damper on air travel, British Columbia was still able to welcome 300 new permanent residents under its business class of economic immigration programs from the start of last year to the end of August this year, data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reveals.

After falling precipitously last year by 21,740 new permanent residents, or almost 43.3 per cent, from 50,230 in 2019 due to COVID-19, immigration to British Columbia is rebounding strongly this year.

In the first eight months of 2021, the province welcomed 37,675 new permanent residents, putting it on track to exceed its immigration total in the last year before the pandemic by 12.5 per cent.

Under the BC PNP EI Regional Pilot, foreign entrepreneurs interested in starting a new business in a smaller community can qualify if they:

  • establish an eligible new business aligned with the priorities of the referring community;
  • show business and/or management experience;
  • have a personal net worth of at least $300,000;
  • make an eligible personal investment of at least $100,000 in the business;
  • create at least one new full-time job for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
  • demonstrate a minimum language proficiency of Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) 4;
  • have, or are eligible for, legal immigration status in Canada, and;
  • have been lawfully admitted in the country where they currently live.

The original, two-year pilot was extended in late March this year for another three years, until March 31, 2024, to help communities welcome new entrepreneurs to their regions, and be well-positioned to support economic recovery post-pandemic.

Small Communities Targeted For BC Entrepreneur Program

“Many will receive new entrepreneurs in their communities once international travel restrictions are lifted,” noted a statement from the BC PNP earlier this year when air travel restrictions were still in effect.

Many of those travel restrictions have now been lifted for fully-vaccinated passengers and Transport Canada is planning to re-open eight more airports to international travellers by the end of this month. That will put at 18 the number of Canadian airports open to international travellers.

Communities need to meet the following eligibility requirements to qualify for the program:

  • a population of fewer than 75,000 people;
  • located beyond 30 km of a municipality of more than 75,000 people, and;
  • a demonstrated capacity to support the entrepreneur through a network of established settlement and business support agencies.

“With international travel restrictions beginning to ease in some regions of the world, new entrepreneurs will bring their business expertise and can help communities with their economic recovery and grow their local economy,” noted a statement from the BC PNP. 

COVID-19: 8 More Canadian Airports To Open For International Travel

Colin Singer
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0
COVID-19: 8 More Canadian Airports To Open For International Travel

Canada immigration news: Transport Minister Omar Alghabra says Canada will allow eight more airports to accept international flights starting at the end of this month, as travel increases following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Increased vaccination levels have allowed us to safely re-open these additional Canadian airports to international passenger flights,” said the transport minister in a statement.

“This measure will help ensure that travellers are able to access more regional airports for their international travels this winter while continuing to support the Government of Canada’s measured approach to re-opening our border.”

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In August, Canada re-opened five Canadian airports to international flights. There are currently 10 such airports in all accepting these international flights. 

On Nov. 30, that number will jump by 80 per cent, to 18 airports.

In its Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) on Tuesday, Transport Canada noted international flights carrying passengers will also be permitted to land at the following additional Canadian airports as of the end of this month:

  • St. John’s International;
  • John C. Munro Hamilton International;
  • Region of Waterloo International;
  • Regina International;
  • Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International;
  • Kelowna International;
  • Abbotsford International, and;
  • Victoria International.

Airport authorities are working with the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency and Transport Canada, to implement measures necessary to start safely welcoming international passengers.

The 10 Canadian airports currently accepting international flights are: 

  • Halifax Stanfield International;
  • Québec City Jean Lesage International; 
  • Montréal-Trudeau International;
  • Ottawa/Macdonald–Cartier International; 
  • Toronto Pearson International;
  • Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre; 
  • Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International; 
  • Edmonton International;
  • Calgary International, and; 
  • Vancouver International.

The Canadian government is crediting its rollout of vaccine passports and its vaccination program as among the main factors allowing it to gradually reopen the country to international travellers.

In early August, Canada re-opened its long border with the United States to fully-vaccinated Americans, generating both excitement at a return to a semblance of normalcy and more than a little anxiety.

Calgarian Mitul Adhiya was then among those worried Ottawa was re-opening too fast given the recent finding that even fully-vaccinated people can transmit COVID-19, albeit at a much lower rate than those who are unvaccinated.

“This is a bad and irresponsible step,” Adhiya tweeted. “Looking at current delta (COVID-19 variant) spread in the U.S., these people could be very well (be carriers) and can transmit in Canada. Unless Canadians are like 80 per cent vaccinated, doors should be closed for all.”

Now, though, Canada has roughly 84 per cent of its population over the age of 12 fully vaccinated and more than 88 per cent of that age group has had at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccines. 

Vaccine Passport

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also announced that a nationally-standardized vaccine passport system is being launched by all the provincial and territorial governments in Canada.

“All provinces and territories have confirmed that they will be moving forward with a national standard of proof of vaccination,” he said.

Those vaccine passports will all have the same look and feel and the cost will be covered by Ottawa but they will be issued by each province and territory in Canada. They will be used for several things, including international travel.

 “We will be picking up the tab for it at the federal level so that all the provinces can move forward with it,” said Trudeau.

Canada has recovered 100 per cent of the jobs it lost during the pandemic. There are sectors, though, that are still hard hit, especially restaurants, bars and hotels. Vaccine passports are being heralded as a way for Canada to return to normal operations

“We can end this pandemic and move forward to the thing we love … Avoid further lockdowns,” said Trudeau.

With these measures, the country has been able to come out of the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“The fourth wave seems to be coming under control in most parts of the country,” has said Chrystia Freeland, the country’s deputy prime minister and minister of finance. “Our economy has rebounded and we are winning the fight.”

In its bid to rebuild its economy, Canada’s federal government remains firmly committed to immigration.

The country is planning to welcome more than 1.2 million newcomers between 2021 and 2023 with 401,000 new permanent residents to Canada in 2021, 411,000 in 2022 and 421,000 in 2023.

Alexander Cohen, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser’s press secretary, claims the IRCC will hit its immigration target for the year.

“Roughly three quarters of the way through 2021, we’re on track to meet our goal of welcoming 401,000 new permanent residents this year,” said Cohen. 

“Against all odds, we’ve managed to keep our immigration system working in the face of a once-in-a-century pandemic, while ensuring rigorous health protocols are in place and enforced.”

 

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