As Omicron Wanes, Canada Jobs Surge Back In February

Canada immigration news: Canada’s labour market surged back in February as the Omicron wave of COVID-19 waned and the economy picked up once again.

The Canada jobs Labour Force Survey showed the addition of nearly 337,000 jobs, for an unemployment rate of 5.5 per cent, eclipsing the pre-COVID rate of 5.7 per cent and approaching the all-time record of 5.4 per cent.

Employment rose and the unemployment rate fell in every Canadian province, spearheaded by the 194,300 jobs added in Ontario and an unemployment rate of 4.5 per cent in Quebec.

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Demographically, men aged 25 to 54 saw their employment rate climb to 88.2 percent, the highest level since November 1981.

Women in the same age-group saw a record employment rate of 81 percent, with gains almost double the losses see in January.

Gains for women were seen in both full and part-time work, while the increases for men were concentrated in full-time work.

In the 15 to 24 age-group, men added 67,000 jobs and women 63,000, erasing January losses. Employment rates of nearly 57 percent for men and 60 percent for women are on a par with pre-COVID figures.

For those aged 55 and older, employment gains were concentrated in part-time work and for women. Employment growth of 42,000 jobs for older women returns the figures to pre-pandemic levels.

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What Are The Labour Force Survey Highlights?

Unemployment rate (%)	5.5
Employment rate (%)	61.8
Labour force participation rate (%)	65.4
Number unemployed	1,135,500
Number working	19,512,700
Youth (15-24) unemployment rate (%)	10.9
Men (over 25) unemployment rate (%)	4.7
Women (over 25) unemployment rate (%)	4.5

Source: Statistics Canada

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Provincial Canada Jobs Picture

Provincially, Ontario’s employment growth of 194,300 jobs was concentrated in the accommodation and food services and the information, culture and recreation industries. The unemployment rate of 5.5 percent was the lowest since before COVID-19.

Quebec’s employment increase of 81,500 jobs saw the provincial unemployment rate drop to 4.5 percent, the lowest among all the provinces. The largest gains were seen in accommodation and food services; information, culture and recreation; and wholesale and retail trade.

Newfoundland & Labrador saw the largest proportional gain, adding 9,500 jobs for an increase of 4.5 percent. Unemployment fell to 12.3 percent. Further Atlantic Canada gains were seen in Prince Edward Island (3,300 jobs), Nova Scotia (3,700) and New Brunswick (1,200).

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Unemployment Rates In Canada’s Provinces

	Jobs change in last month	Unemployment rate (%)
British Columbia	21,000	4.9
Alberta	8,200	6.8
Saskatchewan	7,400	4.7
Manitoba	6,400	4.8
Ontario	194,300	5.5
Quebec	81,500	4.5
New Brunswick	1,200	7.9
Nova Scotia	3,700	6.6
Prince Edward Island	3,300	9.0
Newfoundland & Labrador	9,500	12.3
CANADA	336,600	5.5

Source: Statistics Canada

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British Columbia, meanwhile, added 21,000 jobs for an unemployment rate of 4.9 percent, with the gains concentrated in the Vancouver census metropolitan area.

Alberta added 8,200 jobs for an unemployment rate of 6.8 percent, Saskatchewan 7,400 for unemployment of 4.7 percent and Manitoba 6,400 jobs for an unemployment rate of 4.8 percent.