The Daily |
Released: 2026-03-13
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Employment level — Canada
21,037,000 February 2026
-0.4% (monthly change)
Unemployment rate — Canada
6.7% February 2026
0.2 pts (monthly change)
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Employment level — N.L.
249,000 February 2026
0.8% (monthly change)
Unemployment rate — N.L.
9.2% February 2026
0.0 pts (monthly change)
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Employment level — P.E.I.
96,000 February 2026
0.7% (monthly change)
Unemployment rate — P.E.I.
7.2% February 2026
-0.4 pts (monthly change)
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Employment level — N.S.
524,000 February 2026
-0.1% (monthly change)
Unemployment rate — N.S.
7.1% February 2026
0.2 pts (monthly change)
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Employment level — N.B.
409,000 February 2026
-0.1% (monthly change)
Unemployment rate — N.B.
7.0% February 2026
0.3 pts (monthly change)
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Employment level — Que.
4,612,000 February 2026
-1.2% (monthly change)
Unemployment rate — Que.
5.9% February 2026
0.7 pts (monthly change)
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Employment level — Ont.
8,211,000 February 2026
0.0% (monthly change)
Unemployment rate — Ont.
7.6% February 2026
0.3 pts (monthly change)
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Employment level — Man.
740,000 February 2026
-0.5% (monthly change)
Unemployment rate — Man.
5.7% February 2026
-0.6 pts (monthly change)
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Employment level — Sask.
618,000 February 2026
-0.9% (monthly change)
Unemployment rate — Sask.
5.6% February 2026
0.3 pts (monthly change)
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Employment level — Alta.
2,649,000 February 2026
-0.1% (monthly change)
Unemployment rate — Alta.
6.3% February 2026
-0.1 pts (monthly change)
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Employment level — B.C.
2,927,000 February 2026
-0.7% (monthly change)
Unemployment rate — B.C.
6.1% February 2026
0.0 pts (monthly change)
HighlightsEmployment declined by 84,000 (-0.4%) in February and the employment rate fell 0.2 percentage points to 60.6%. The unemployment rate increased 0.2 percentage points to 6.7%.Employment fell among youth aged 15 to 24 years old (-47,000; -1.7%) and men in the core working age of 25 to 54 years old (-41,000; -0.6%). Employment was little changed for core-aged women and people aged 55 years and older.Employment declines in February were recorded in services-producing industries (-56,000; -0.3%) and goods-producing industries (-28,000; -0.7%). The largest declines were in wholesale and retail trade (-18,000; -0.6%), and 'other services' such as personal and repair services (-14,000; -1.8%).Employment declined in Quebec (-57,000; -1.2%), British Columbia (-20,000; -0.7%), Saskatchewan (-5,500; -0.9%) and Manitoba (-4,000; -0.5%). Employment increased in Newfoundland and Labrador (+2,100; +0.8%) and was little changed in the other provinces.Average hourly wages among employees were up 3.9% (+$1.42 to $37.56) on a year-over-year basis in February, following growth of 3.3% in January (not seasonally adjusted).Employment falls in February Employment declined by 84,000 (-0.4%) in February, after edging down in January (-25,000; -0.1%). These cumulative declines partially offset the upward trend observed in the fall of 2025. On a year-over-year basis, employment was little changed in February 2026.
Chart 1 Employment rate falls in February
In February, the employment rate—the proportion of the population aged 15 and older who are employed—fell 0.2 percentage points to 60.6%, the second consecutive monthly decline. The employment rate in February was just above the recent low of 60.5% observed in August 2025, and was down 0.4 percentage points on a year-over-year basis.
Infographic 1 Employment rate by age group, February 2026
Employment declines concentrated in full-time work and among private sector employeesIn February, the number of people working full-time declined by 108,000 (-0.6%), offsetting growth recorded over the previous two months. At the same time, there was little variation in the number of people working part-time in February. On a year-over-year basis, there was little change in the number of people working full-time or part-time.The number of employees in the private sector fell by 73,000 (-0.5%) in February, the second consecutive monthly decline. These declines offset gains observed in October and November 2025. Compared with 12 months earlier, the number of private sector employees was virtually unchanged in February.The number of public sector employees and the number of self-employed workers were both little changed in February.Unemployment rate rises to 6.7% The unemployment rate rose 0.2 percentage points to 6.7% in February, as employment fell and more people searched for work. The unemployment rate was virtually unchanged from 12 months earlier (when it was 6.6%) and remained below the recent high of 7.1% reached in August and September 2025.
Chart 2 Unemployment rate increases to 6.7% in February
Among the 1.5 million people who were unemployed in February, 22.8% were in long-term unemployment, meaning they had been continuously searching for work for 27 weeks or more. This proportion was little changed from February 2025 (23.0%) but remained significantly above the pre-COVID-19 pandemic average of 17.1% recorded during the period from 2017 to 2019.The participation rate—the proportion of the population aged 15 and older who were employed or looking for work—fell by 0.1 percentage points to 64.9% in February. It was down 0.4 percentage points on a year-over-year basis.Unemployment rate up among youth Among youth aged 15 to 24, the unemployment rate rose 1.3 percentage points to 14.1% in February, as employment for this group fell by 47,000 (-1.7%). The increase brings the youth unemployment rate closer to the recent high of 14.6% reached in September 2025, which was the highest since 2010 (excluding 2020 and 2021). On a year-over-year basis, the youth unemployment rate was up 1.0 percentage points.
Infographic 2 Unemployment rate by age group, February 2026
Unemployment rates for racialized youth were notably higher compared with non-racialized, non-Indigenous youth. For Black youth, the unemployment rate was 23.2% in February, up 4.6 percentage points from 12 months earlier (three-month moving averages, not seasonally adjusted). Among the other largest racialized population groups, the unemployment rate was 17.4% among Chinese youth and 13.0% among South Asian youth. In comparison, the unemployment rate for non-racialized and non-Indigenous youth was 11.2% in February.Unemployment rate rises for core-aged men Among core-aged men, the unemployment rate rose 0.3 percentage points to 5.7% in February. This remained below the recent high of 6.3% recorded in August for this group. Employment fell by 41,000 (-0.6%) among core-aged men in February, driven by a decline in full-time work (-54,000; -0.8%). Among core-aged women, the unemployment rate was little changed at 5.8% and employment held steady in February.The unemployment rate for people aged 55 and older fell 0.2 percentage points to 4.9% in February, the second decrease in the past three months. On a year-over-year basis, the unemployment rate of people aged 55 and older was down 0.3 percentage points.Employment declines in both services-producing and goods-producing industriesThe employment decline in February was spread across services-producing industries (-56,000; -0.3%) and goods-producing industries (-28,000; -0.7%).In services-producing industries, the largest decline was in wholesale and retail trade (-18,000; -0.6%). Employment in this industry has trended down since October 2025, with a cumulative decline of 52,000 (-1.7%) over this period.
Chart 3 Employment change by industry, February 2026
There were also fewer people working in 'other services' (-14,000; -1.8%) in February. This industry includes repair and maintenance services, personal care and laundry services, as well as religious and advocacy activities. Employment in 'other services' was little changed on a year-over-year basis.In goods-producing industries, employment edged down in construction (-12,000; -0.7%) and manufacturing (-9,200; -0.5%) in February. On a year-over-year basis, employment was little changed in construction, while it was down by 52,000 (-2.8%) in manufacturing.Employment down in Quebec, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and ManitobaEmployment in Quebec declined by 57,000 (-1.2%) in February, following three consecutive months of little change. This was the first significant employment decrease in the province since January 2022. The unemployment rate in Quebec rose 0.7 percentage points to reach 5.9% in February, but remained below the recent peak of 6.2% observed in June 2025.
Map 1 Unemployment rate by province and territory, February 2026
In British Columbia, employment fell by 20,000 (-0.7%) in February. Despite the employment decline, the unemployment rate held steady at 6.1%, as the number of people searching for work held steady. Compared with the same month in 2025, the unemployment rate in British Columbia was virtually unchanged in February.Employment also declined in Saskatchewan (-5,500; -0.9%) and Manitoba (-4,000; -0.5%) in February, while it increased by 2,100 (+0.8%) in Newfoundland and Labrador. The unemployment rate was little changed in both Saskatchewan (at 5.6%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (at 9.2%). Despite the employment decrease in Manitoba, the unemployment rate in the province fell by 0.6 percentage points to 5.7%, as fewer people searched for work.In Ontario, employment held steady in February, following a decline of 67,000 (-0.8%) in the previous month. The number of people in Ontario who searched for work increased by 28,000 (+4.3%) in February and the unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points to 7.6%.Focus on Canada and the United States: Unemployment rate in Canada remains higher than in the United States Due to the highly integrated nature of the Canadian and US economies, trade uncertainty and disruptions can have significant impacts on the labour markets of both countries. By adjusting Canadian data to US concepts, direct comparisons can be made between the labour market situations in Canada and the United States. Adjustments to US concepts typically lower the unemployment rate in Canada by approximately 1.0 percentage points, as certain groups of people considered unemployed in Canada are considered not participating in the labour force in the United States. For more information, see "Measuring Employment and Unemployment in Canada and the United States – A comparison."The unemployment rate in Canada (adjusted to US concepts) was 5.6% in February, unchanged from the rate recorded in January 2025. In comparison, the unemployment rate in the United States has increased slightly over this period. In February 2026, it was 4.4%, up 0.4 percentage points from January 2025. As a result, the gap between the unemployment rates in both countries was slightly lower in February than it was at the beginning of 2025.The unemployment rate in Canada, even after adjusting to US concepts, has typically been higher than in the United States. For example, the gap between the unemployment rates in the two countries had averaged 0.9 percentage points from 2017 to 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.For more data and insights on areas touched by the socio-economic relationship between Canada and the United States, see the Focus on Canada and the United States webpage.
Infographic 3 Unemployment rate for Canada (adjusted to US concepts) and the United States
In the spotlight: Women in the labour force March 8th was International Women's Day, a global day to recognize the achievements of women and girls and reflect on the progress made towards gender equality, while acknowledging the challenges and barriers that still exist.In February 2026, there were 10 million women employed in Canada, accounting for 47.3% of total employment. This proportion has risen markedly from when comparable data first became available in the Labour Force Survey 50 years ago. In February 1976, women comprised 36.9% of total employment. Much of the increase occurred in the 1980s.Among core-aged women (25 to 54 years old), 80.1% were employed in February 2026. In comparison, less than half (48.2%) of core-aged women were employed in 1976. In February 2026, the employment rate for core-aged women was highest in Prince Edward Island (86.6%) and Quebec (83.6%), while it was lowest in Ontario (78.5%). While men continue to earn more than women on average, the gender wage gap in Canada has declined over time. This reduction is largely explained by changes in the distribution of men and women across occupations; higher levels of educational attainment among women; and the decline in the share of men in unionized employment. In February 2026, women earned on average $0.88 on the dollar compared with men. The average hourly wage for women aged 25 to 54 was $37.62, which was $4.93 (or 11.6%) less than the average hourly wage for men ($42.55) (not seasonally adjusted). Core-aged women were more likely to work part-time (15.6%) compared with men in this age group (6.4%) in February 2026. Among core-aged women, the most commonly cited main reason for working part-time (24.4%) was caring for children (not seasonally adjusted). Another 23.9% of women worked part-time because they were not able to find full-time hours due to economic or business conditions.
Sustainable Development GoalsOn January 1, 2016, the world officially began implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development—the United Nations' transformative plan of action that addresses urgent global challenges over the next 15 years. The plan is based on 17 specific sustainable development goals.The Labour Force Survey is an example of how Statistics Canada supports the reporting on the Global Goals for Sustainable Development. This release will be used in helping to measure the following goals:
Note to readers The Labour Force Survey (LFS) estimates for February reflect labour market conditions during the reference week of February 15 to 21, 2026.The sample size of the LFS is approximately 65,000 households, representing over 100,000 respondents each month. For more information, see the Guide to the Labour Force Survey.This analysis focuses on differences between estimates that are statistically significant at the 68% confidence level. Monthly estimates may show more sampling variability than trends observed over longer periods. For more information, see "Interpreting Monthly Changes in Employment from the Labour Force Survey."LFS estimates at the Canada level do not include the territories.The LFS estimates are the first in a series of labour market indicators released by Statistics Canada, which includes indicators from programs such as the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours (SEPH); Employment Insurance Statistics; and the Job Vacancy and Wage Survey. For more information on the conceptual differences between employment measures from the LFS and those from the SEPH, refer to section 8 of the Guide to the Labour Force Survey.The employment rate is the number of employed people as a percentage of the population aged 15 years and older. The rate for a particular group (for example, youth aged 15 to 24 years) is the number employed in that group as a percentage of the population for that group.The unemployment rate is the number of unemployed people as a percentage of the labour force (employed and unemployed).The participation rate is the number of employed and unemployed people as a percentage of the population aged 15 years and older.Full-time employment consists of persons who usually work 30 hours or more per week at their main or only job.Part-time employment consists of persons who usually work less than 30 hours per week at their main or only job.Total hours worked refers to the number of hours actually worked at the main job by the respondent during the reference week, including paid and unpaid hours. These hours reflect temporary decreases or increases in work hours (for example, hours lost due to illness, vacation, holidays or weather; or more hours worked due to overtime).This release refers to the gender of a person. The category "men" includes men, as well as some non-binary persons. The category "women" includes women, as well as some non-binary persons. Given that the non-binary population is small, data aggregation to a two-category gender variable is necessary to protect the confidentiality of responses provided.Seasonal adjustmentUnless otherwise stated, estimates presented in this release are seasonally adjusted, which facilitates comparisons by removing the effects of typical seasonal variations. For more information on seasonal adjustment, see Seasonally adjusted data – Frequently asked questions.Population growth in the Labour Force SurveyThe LFS target population includes all persons aged 15 years and older whose usual place of residence is in Canada, with some exceptions (those living on reserves, full-time members of the regular Armed Forces and persons living in institutions). The target population includes temporary residents—that is, those with a valid work or study permit, their families, and refugee claimants—as well as permanent residents (landed immigrants) and the Canadian-born.Information gathered from LFS respondents is weighted to represent the survey target population using population calibration totals. These totals are updated each month, using the most recently available information on population changes derived from Canada's official population estimates, with minor adjustments being made to reflect the LFS target population.While the LFS population totals are generally aligned with official demographic estimates, the official estimates should be considered the official measure of population change in Canada. More information on how population totals in the LFS are calculated can be found in the article "Interpreting population totals from the Labour Force Survey."Data for the Labour Market Indicators program are now available for February 2026.Next releaseThe next release of the LFS will be on April 10, 2026. March 2026 data will reflect labour market conditions during the week of March 15 to 21.
Products More information about the concepts and use of the Labour Force Survey is available online in the Guide to the Labour Force Survey (Catalogue number71-543-G).The product "Labour Force Survey in brief: Interactive app" (Catalogue number14200001) is also available. This interactive visualization application provides seasonally adjusted estimates by province, gender, age group and industry.The product "Labour Market Indicators, by province and census metropolitan area, seasonally adjusted" (Catalogue number71-607-X) is also available. This interactive dashboard provides customizable access to key labour market indicators.The product "Labour Market Indicators, by province, territory and economic region, unadjusted for seasonality" (Catalogue number71-607-X) is also available. This dynamic web application provides access to labour market indicators for Canada, provinces, territories and economic regions.The product Labour market indicators, census metropolitan areas, census agglomerations and self-contained labour areas: Interactive dashboard" (Catalogue number71-607-X) is also available. This dashboard allows users to visually explore the estimates using an interactive map as well as time series charts and tables.The product Labour Force Survey: Public Use Microdata File (Catalogue number71M0001X) is also available. This public use microdata file contains non-aggregated data for a wide variety of variables collected from the Labour Force Survey. The data have been modified to ensure that no individual or business is directly or indirectly identified. This product is for users who prefer to do their own analysis by focusing on specific subgroups in the population or by cross-classifying variables that are not in our catalogued products.Contact informationFor more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; [email protected]) or Media Relations ([email protected]).
Date modified: 2026-03-13