Employment Growth Holds Steady
April brought positive news for the Canadian job market with employment increasing by 90,000, a 0.4% rise. This growth stabilized the unemployment rate at 6.1% and kept the employment rate steady at 61.4%, following six months of consecutive declines.
Who’s Benefiting from Employment Gains?
Core-Aged Workers Shine
- Men (25 to 54 years old): Employment rose by 41,000 (+0.6%).
- Women (25 to 54 years old): Employment increased by 27,000 (+0.4%).
Youth Employment on the Rise
- Male Youth (15 to 24 years old): Saw a significant boost with an increase of 39,000 jobs (+2.8%).
Older Workers See Mixed Results
- Women aged 55 and older: Experienced a decline of 16,000 jobs (-0.8%).
- Men aged 55 and older and female youth (15 to 24): Employment levels remained largely unchanged.
Part-Time Work Leads the Way
Part-time employment saw a notable rise, contributing 50,000 new jobs (+1.4%) to the overall employment increase in April.
Sector-Specific Employment Trends
Gains Across Key Sectors
- Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services: Added 26,000 jobs (+1.3%).
- Accommodation and Food Services: Increased by 24,000 jobs (+2.2%).
- Health Care and Social Assistance: Gained 17,000 jobs (+0.6%).
- Natural Resources: Grew by 7,700 jobs (+2.3%).
Challenges in Utilities
- Utilities Sector: Faced a decrease with a loss of 5,000 jobs (-3.1%).
Provincial Employment Shifts
Positive Trends in Several Provinces
- Ontario: Employment grew by 25,000 (+0.3%).
- British Columbia: Added 23,000 jobs (+0.8%).
- Quebec: Employment increased by 19,000 (+0.4%).
- New Brunswick: Saw a rise of 7,800 jobs (+2.0%).
Stable Employment Elsewhere
- In other provinces, employment levels remained relatively unchanged.
Additional Insights
Total Hours Worked and Wage Growth
- Total Hours Worked: Rose by 0.8% in April and were up 1.2% compared to the same time last year.
- Average Hourly Wages: Experienced a year-over-year increase of 4.7%, rising by $1.57 to $34.95, following a 5.1% growth in March (not seasonally adjusted).
On-Call Work Patterns
A significant portion of the workforce, over one in four workers (28.4%), are required to come into work or connect to a work device at short notice at least several times a month.
Conclusion
April’s employment data highlights a resilient job market with steady growth across various demographics and sectors. While challenges remain, particularly for older women and in specific industries like utilities, the overall trend is positive. As we move forward, monitoring these trends will be crucial to understanding the evolving landscape of Canada’s labor market.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/240510/dq240510a-eng.htm
