Employment Trends

The unemployment rate in Canada was 6.6% as of January 2026, down 0.1% from the previous month. The unemployment rate stood 6.9% below the peak from June 2020 and is below the long-run average.

There were 30,500 more full-time jobs in January 2026 compared to a month earlier. Combined with a loss of 17,900 part-time positions, this led to an increase of 12,600 total jobs in January.

Full-time employment has recovered since reaching a bottom in August 2025 and now stands at a record high.

* All figures are seasonally adjusted, 3-month moving averages. Seasonal adjustment removes normal seasonal fluctuations.