NEW DELHI, November 7: Canada’s unemployment rate rose to 6.7% in October 2026 from 6.5% as employment was flat after two months of losses, Statistics Canada said on Friday. Youth unemployment jumped 0.7 points to 13.7%, a figure that matters to the many international students, including Indians, looking for work in the country.
Key highlights
- Jobs: employment was little changed in October (−4,700), after falls of 68,000 in September and 42,000 in August.
- Unemployment rate: 6.7%, up 0.2 points, the second monthly rise in a row, but below April’s peak of 6.9%.
- Youth: unemployment for those aged 15 to 24 rose to 13.7%; for students it was 13.5% (not seasonally adjusted).
- Wages: average hourly wages rose 2.2% from a year earlier to $37.89.
- Sectors: wholesale and retail trade lost 29,000 jobs; construction gained 16,000 and educational services 15,000.
| Measure | October 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Employment change | −4,700 | 0.0% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.7% | +0.2 point |
| Employment rate | 60.5% | −0.1 point |
| Youth (15–24) unemployment rate | 13.7% | +0.7 point |
| Unemployment rate, 55 and older | 5.5% | +0.2 point |
| Core-age (25–54) unemployment, men / women | 5.8% / 5.3% | Unchanged |
| Average hourly wages (year on year) | $37.89 | +2.2% |
Private jobs fall, public jobs rise
The number of private sector employees fell by 53,000 in October, the first decline since February, while public sector employees rose by 50,000 after four months of declines. Over the past year, employment has barely moved (+17,000), and the employment rate has fallen 0.3 points.
The job-finding rate, the share of people unemployed in September who found work in October, was 18.9%, below 19.8% a year earlier and well below the 2017–2019 average of 24.6% for the same months. Nearly a quarter (23.7%) of the 1.5 million unemployed had been looking for work for 27 weeks or more.
Provinces
Employment fell by 24,000 in Alberta, where the unemployment rate rose 0.9 points to 7.3%, and by 1,300 in Prince Edward Island. It rose by 12,000 in British Columbia and 2,900 in Newfoundland and Labrador. Wholesale and retail trade has shed 113,000 jobs over the past 12 months, with the losses concentrated in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia.
Our calculation
- Canada has lost about 115,000 jobs over the three months from August to October.
- The youth unemployment rate is about twice the national rate.
- Canada’s flat October contrasts with the United States, where payrolls rose by 165,000 in the same month.
What it means for India and Asia
India is a major source of international students and immigrants in Canada, so a weaker job market, especially for young people, directly affects Indian families planning study or work there. Statistics Canada’s figures include temporary residents such as students and work-permit holders. The two countries have recently stepped up official contact, including their first defence dialogue this week, covered in our report.
What to watch
- The next Labour Force Survey, for November, on December 4, 2026.
- Whether youth and student unemployment keeps rising into the winter.
- Employment in Alberta, which has swung up and down in recent months.
Office towers in Toronto’s Financial District. Image: paul (dex) from Toronto, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Photo source · Licence
Sources
The Business Desk covers markets, the economy, companies and personal finance. Stories are checked against at least two credible sources before publication.
