Sask. unemployment rate drops below national average

Between October and November Saskatchewan saw the unemployment rate drop from 6.2 per cent to 5.5 per cent according to Statistics Canada. The national average is a 5.6 per cent unemployment rate.

This is the fourth straight month of employment gains in Saskatchewan.

Stats Canada’s monthly Labour Force Survey also shows the province has the highest year-over-year job growth in western Canada.

Since this time last year, full-time employment is up 10,200 jobs and part-time work is up 6,100. On a monthly basis, seasonally adjusted employment is up 5,500 jobs from October.

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Highlights include year-over-year gains in healthcare (5,700 jobs), education services (5,100 jobs) and agriculture (5,000 jobs); 17,500 private sector jobs compared to last year; 1,500 more construction jobs than in Nov. 2017, and 300 more than Oct. 2018.

Overall, six provinces saw significant gains in the survey on a month-by-month basis. Quebec led the pack with 26,000 jobs, followed by 24,000 in Alberta. Ontario saw 20,000 new jobs and B.C. saw the fourth largest monthly gain at 16,000. Saskatchewan ranked fifth at 5,500, and Mantioba closed out the gains with 2,600 jobs.