The unemployment rate in Canada was unchanged from the previous month at 6.4% in August of 2026, aligned with market expectations. The number of unemployed people rose by 4.8 thousand from the previous month to 1.455 million in the period. In the meantime, net employment sank by 41.7 thousand to 12.173 million, contrasting sharply with expectations of a 15 thousand increase. A large portion of the drop in net employment was owed to a 36.8 thousand drop in the labor force, equivalent to a 0.1 percentage point decline in the participation rate to 65%, thus preventing a drop in the unemployment rate. The unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points to 6%, while unemployment for core-aged women fell 0.2 percentage points to 5%. The youth unemployment rate rose 0.3 percentage points to 12.9%. source: Statistics Canada

Unemployment Rate in Canada remained unchanged at 6.40 percent in August. Unemployment Rate in Canada averaged 7.55 percent from 1966 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 14.20 percent in May of 2020 and a record low of 2.90 percent in June of 1966. This page provides - Canada Unemployment Rate - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. Canada Unemployment Rate - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on September of 2026.

Unemployment Rate in Canada remained unchanged at 6.40 percent in August. Unemployment Rate in Canada is expected to be 6.50 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Canada Unemployment Rate is projected to trend around 7.30 percent in 2027 and 7.10 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-08-07 12:30 PM
Unemployment Rate
Jul 6.4% 6.5% 6.5% 6.5%
2026-09-04 12:30 PM
Unemployment Rate
Aug 6.4% 6.4% 6.4% 6.4%
2026-10-09 12:30 PM
Unemployment Rate
Sep 6.4% 6.5%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Average Hourly Wages 37.02 37.17 CAD Aug 2026
Employed Persons 21173.10 21214.80 Thousand Aug 2026
Employment Change -41.70 75.10 Thousand Aug 2026
Employment Rate 60.80 60.90 percent Aug 2026
Full Time Employment Chg -35.90 38.60 Thousand Aug 2026
Job Vacancies 506730.00 494905.00 Mar 2026
Participation Rate 65.00 65.10 percent Aug 2026
Labour Costs 134.30 133.49 points Jun 2026
Minimum Wages 17.95 17.60 CAD/Hour Oct 2026
Non Farm Payrolls 18418.00 18414.00 Thousand Jun 2026
Part Time Employment Chg -5.80 36.60 Thousand Aug 2026
Population 41.65 41.26 Million Dec 2025
Labor Productivity 104.82 104.96 points Dec 2025
Unemployed Persons 1459.50 1454.70 Thousand Aug 2026
Unemployment Rate 6.40 6.40 percent Aug 2026
Average Weekly Earnings YoY 3.40 3.30 percent Jun 2026
Wages 32.74 33.01 CAD/Hour Jun 2026
Wages in Manufacturing 31.49 32.06 CAD/Hour Jun 2026
Youth Unemployment Rate 12.90 12.60 percent Aug 2026


Canada Unemployment Rate
In Canada, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a percentage of the labour force.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
6.40 6.40 14.20 2.90 1966 - 2026 percent Monthly
SA

News Stream
Canada Unemployment Rate Holds as Expected
The unemployment rate in Canada was unchanged from the previous month at 6.4% in August of 2026, aligned with market expectations. The number of unemployed people rose by 4.8 thousand from the previous month to 1.455 million in the period. In the meantime, net employment sank by 41.7 thousand to 12.173 million, contrasting sharply with expectations of a 15 thousand increase. A large portion of the drop in net employment was owed to a 36.8 thousand drop in the labor force, equivalent to a 0.1 percentage point decline in the participation rate to 65%, thus preventing a drop in the unemployment rate. The unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points to 6%, while unemployment for core-aged women fell 0.2 percentage points to 5%. The youth unemployment rate rose 0.3 percentage points to 12.9%.
2026-09-04
Canada Unemployment Rate Falls to 2-Year Low
The unemployment rate in Canada fell to 6.4% in July of 2026 from 6.5% in the previous month, under market expectations that it would remain unchanged, to mark the lowest jobless rate in two years. Net employment rose by 75,100, well above market expectations of a 15,000 increase, to mark a third straight rise in jobs. Meanwhile unemployment fell by 14,500 to 1,455,000. The unemployment rate fell to a record low of 5.2% for core-aged women, firmly below that for core-aged men (5.8%). Meanwhile, the youth unemployment rate fell to 12.6% from 12.7% in the previous month. The rise in net jobs and drop in unemployment corresponded to a 0.1 percentage point increase in the labor force participation rate to 65.1%, the highest so far this year.
2026-08-07
Canada Unemployment Rate Unexpectedly Drops
The unemployment rate in Canada eased to 6.5% in June of 2026 from 6.6% in the previous month, below market expectations that it would remain unchanged and tying for the lowest since July of 2024. Net employment rose by 18,000 positions to 21,139,700, mostly supported by part-time positions. In the meantime, unemployment fell by 13,200 to 1,469,200. This was aligned with a job finding rate, which is the proportion of unemployed who found a position since May, to 24.3%. The developments translated to an unchanged labor force participation rate of 65.0%, which has remained relatively steady since the start of the year despite the energy supply shocks due to the war in Iran and the exchange of tariffs with the United States.
2026-07-10