Canada gained 48,300 jobs in January, unemployment rate dips: Statcan

OTTAWA – Canada’s labour market unexpectedly added 48,300 jobs last month, thanks to surges in part-time and private-sector work.

Statistics Canada’s employment survey for January shows an increase of 32,400 part-time positions and a gain of 15,800 jobs in the more-desirable category of full-time work.

The report also found that the number of private-sector jobs rose 32,400 between December and January, compared with an increase of 7,700 public-sector positions.

The unemployment rate fell to 6.8 per cent from 6.9 per cent in December.

Statistics Canada says the vast majority of the new jobs – 42,600 position – were created in the services sector.

A consensus of economists had projected the job numbers to stay unchanged last month and for the unemployment rate to hold at 6.9 per cent, according to Thomson Reuters.

The country’s job market has seen gains in five out of the last six monthly reports.

January’s national employment numbers from Statistics Canada, at a glance (previous month in brackets):

• Unemployment rate: 6.8 per cent (6.9)
• Employment rate: 61.4 per cent (61.3)
• Labour force participation rate: 65.9 per cent (65.8)
• Number unemployed: 1,324,400 (1,341,600)
• Number working: 18,273,300 (18,225,000)
• Youth (15-24 years) unemployment rate: 13.3 per cent (12.6)
• Men (25 plus) unemployment rate: 6.0 per cent (6.4)
• Women (25 plus) unemployment rate: 5.3 per cent (5.4)