Canada Employment Change1976-2020 Data | 2021-2022 Forecast | Calendar | Historical

The Canadian economy created 378 thousand jobs in September of 2020, well above forecasts of a 156.7 thousand rise and after a 245.8K increase in August. Employment is now 3.7 percent below its pre-pandemic level in February. Full-time work increased by 334 thousand while 44 thousand part-time jobs were created. The number of Canadians who were employed but worked less than half their usual hours for reasons likely related to COVID-19 fell by 108 thousand (-7.1 percent) in September. Among Canadians who worked most of their usual hours, the proportion working from home edged down from August to September, to 25.6 percent from 26.4 percent.

The Canadian economy created 245.8 thousand jobs in August of 2020, easing from 418.5 thousand in the previous month and below market expectations of 275 thousand. Most of the employment gains in August were in full-time work, which increased by 206 thousand, compared with a much smaller increase of 40 thousand in part-time positions. Employment increased primarily in the services-producing sector (+218 thousand) driven by gains in accommodation and food services (+48.9 thousand) and education services (+51 thousand). Growth in the goods-producing sector was weaker (+28 thousand), led by manufacturing (+29 thousand) and construction (4.5 thousand).

The Canadian economy created 418.5 thousand jobs in July of 2020, easing from a record 952.9 thousand in the previous month but beating market expectations of 400 thousand. Most of the employment gains in July were in part-time work, which increased by 345,000, compared with a much smaller increase of 73 thousand in full-time positions. Employment increased strongly in the services-producing sector (+348 thousand) driven by gains in wholesale and retail trade (+101 thousand) and in accommodation and food services (+101 thousand). Also, job gains were recorded in professional and technical services (+33 thousand), the first increase following the Covid-19 shutdown. Growth in the goods-producing sector was more modest (+71 thousand), led by construction (+34 thousand) and manufacturing (+29 thousand).

The Canadian economy added 953 thousand jobs in June of 2020, after creating 290 thousand positions in May and beating market expectations of 700 thousand. This was the biggest increase in employment since available records began in February of 1976, as Covid-19 restrictions continued to ease across the country which allowed more companies to return and rehire. Full-time work rose by 488 thousand and part-time positions increased by 464 thousand. There were more people working in the services sector (+794 thousand), mostly in wholesale & retail trade (+222 thousand), accommodation & food services (+164 thousand) and health care and social assistance (+121 thousand). Employment also went up in the goods-producing sector (+159 thousand), namely in construction (+83 thousand) and manufacturing (+81 thousand). In June, all provinces recorded an increase in employment, particularly in Ontario (+378 thousand), where the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions began in late May.