Labour Force Survey, August 2024
Released: 2024-09-06
Highlights
Employment was little changed in August (+22,000; +0.1%) while the employment rate decreased 0.1 percentage points to 60.8%. The unemployment rate rose 0.2 percentage points to 6.6%.
Employment grew by 20,000 (+0.3%) among core-aged women (25 to 54 years old) in August, and held steady across other major demographic groups.
Employment rose in educational services (+27,000; +1.7%), health care and social assistance (+25,000; +0.9%), and finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing (+11,000; +0.8%). It declined in "other services" (-19,000; -2.3%), professional, scientific and technical services (-16,000; -0.8%), utilities (-6,800; -4.5%) and natural resources (-6,500; -1.8%).
Employment increased in Alberta (+13,000; +0.5%), Nova Scotia (+5,000; +1.0%), Manitoba (+4,400; +0.6%) and Prince Edward Island (+900; +1.0%), while there was a decline in Newfoundland and Labrador (-2,400; -1.0%).
Total hours worked were little changed in August (-0.1%) but were up 1.4% compared with 12 months earlier.
Average hourly wages among employees increased 5.0% (up $1.69 to $35.16) on a year-over-year basis in August, following growth of 5.2% in July (not seasonally adjusted).
Little overall change in employment in August
Employment was little changed in August (+22,000; +0.1%), as gains in part-time work (+66,000; +1.8%) were largely offset by a decline in full-time work (-44,000; -0.3%). This was the fourth consecutive month of little overall employment change.
Chart 1
Employment rate falls in August, continuing downward trend
The employment rate—the proportion of the population aged 15 and older who are employed—decreased by 0.1 percentage points to 60.8% in August, the fourth consecutive monthly decline and the 10th decline in the past 11 months. On a year-over-year basis, the employment rate was down 1.2 percentage points in August, as employment growth (+1.6%) was outpaced by growth in the population aged 15 and older in the Labour Force Survey (LFS) (+3.5%).
The number of private sector employees rose by 38,000 (+0.3%) in August, largely offsetting a similar-sized decrease in the previous month (-42,000; -0.3%). The increase in private sector employment in August was the first since April. Public sector employment and self-employment were both little changed in August.
Year-over-year employment growth concentrated among core-aged men and women
In August, employment grew by 20,000 (+0.3%) among core-aged women (25 to 54 years old) and held steady across other major demographic groups.
Infographic 1
Employment rates by age group
Employment growth in the 12 months to August was concentrated among people in the core working age. While employment was up on a year-over-year basis for men (+207,000; +3.0%) and women (+115,000; +1.8%) aged 25 to 54 in August, it was virtually unchanged among youth (15 to 24 years old) and people aged 55 and older.
On a year-over-year basis, the employment rate was down for youth as well as for people in the core working age in August. Declines were larger for young men (-4.5 percentage points to 52.3%) and young women (-3.5 percentage points to 55.2%), reflecting relatively strong population growth and virtually no employment growth for the youth population.
Unemployment rate increases to 6.6% in August
The unemployment rate rose 0.2 percentage points to 6.6% in August, after holding steady in July. The unemployment rate in August was the highest since May 2017, outside of 2020 and 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The unemployment rate has generally trended up since April 2023, rising 1.5 percentage points over this period.
Chart 2
Unemployment rate continues upward trend, rising to 6.6% in August
There were 1.5 million unemployed people in August 2024, an increase of 60,000 (+4.3%) from July and an increase of 272,000 (+22.9%) from August 2023.
Among those who were unemployed in July, 16.7% had transitioned to employment in August (not seasonally adjusted). This was lower than the corresponding proportion in August 2023 (23.2%), an indication that unemployed people may be facing greater difficulties finding work.
Unemployment rate rises for core-aged and older men in August
In August, the unemployment rate rose for men aged 25 to 54 years old (+0.4 percentage points to 5.7%) and for men aged 55 and older (+0.4 percentage points to 5.5%), while it was little changed for other major demographic groups.
Infographic 2
Unemployment rates by age group
Although the unemployment rate was up across all age groups on a year-over-year basis in August, the increase was largest for youth (+3.2 percentage points to 14.5% in August). The rate was up for young men (+3.8 percentage points to 16.3%) and young women (+2.6 percentage points to 12.6%).
For core-aged people, the unemployment rate was up 0.9 percentage points to 5.4% on a year-over-year basis in August. Increases for this age group were observed across all levels of educational attainment. On a year-over-year basis, the unemployment rate was up in August for core-aged people with a high school diploma or less (+1.5 percentage points to 8.2%), for those with some post-secondary education below a bachelor's degree (+0.7 percentage points to 5.5%) as well as for those with a bachelor's degree or a higher level of education (+0.9 percentage points to 6.2%) (not seasonally adjusted).
Difficult summer for students seeking employment
From May to August, the LFS collects labour market data on youth aged 15 to 24 who were attending school full time in March and who intend to return to school full time in the fall. With data for August now available, it is possible to examine the labour market situation of returning students in 2024, over the entire four-month summer period (not seasonally adjusted).
On average from May to August 2024, the unemployment rate for returning students aged 15 to 24 was 16.7%, up from 12.9% in 2023. The unemployment rate for the summer of 2024 was the highest since 2012 (when it was 17.6%), excluding the summer of 2020.
The unemployment rate of returning students over the summer months of 2024 was up for both young men (+4.5 percentage points to 18.1%) and young women (+3.3 percentage points to 15.5%) compared with the same period in 2023.
The unemployment rate increased for returning students across all age groups in the summer of 2024 compared with the summer of 2023. Among the youngest—those aged 15 and 16—more than one-quarter (27.0%) were unemployed this summer (up from 22.1% in 2023). For returning students aged 17 to 19, the unemployment rate was 17.7%, up from 12.5% in 2023. For older returning students—those aged 20 to 24—the unemployment rate was 11.1%, up from 8.3% in 2023.
The summer job market in 2024 was particularly difficult for returning students aged 15 to 24 who were part of the three largest racialized groups. Among Black returning students, the unemployment rate was 29.5% on average from May to August 2024. This represents an increase of 10.1 percentage points compared with the same period in 2023. The unemployment rate was also up in the summer of 2024 among Chinese students who intended to return to school full time in the fall (+7.4 percentage points to 22.4%) and their South Asian counterparts (+5.1 percentage points to 21.5%).
Employment up in educational services and health care and social assistance, while falling in "other services" and professional, scientific and technical services
In August, employment rose by 27,000 (+1.7%) in educational services, the first increase since January. There were 75,000 (+5.1%) more people employed in this sector compared with 12 months earlier.
In health care and social assistance, employment increased by 25,000 (+0.9%) in August. In the 12 months to August, employment gains in health care and social assistance (+157,000; +5.8%) were the largest of any sector and accounted for nearly half (49.6%) of total net employment growth.
Year-over-year employment growth in health care and social assistance was recorded both in the private sector (+94,000; +8.6%) and in the public sector (+77,000; +6.1%). Self-employment in health care and social assistance was little changed over the period (not seasonally adjusted).
Chart 3
Employment rises the most in educational services and health care and social assistance in August
In August, employment decreased in "other services" (which includes personal and repair services) (-19,000; -2.3%) following five months of little change.
Employment also fell in professional, scientific and technical services (-16,000; -0.8%) in August. Despite the monthly decline, employment in the industry was up by 47,000 (+2.5%) on a year-over-year basis.
Employment increases in Alberta, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Prince Edward Island, while Newfoundland and Labrador posts a decrease
Employment in Alberta increased by 13,000 (+0.5%) in August, after holding steady in June and July. The unemployment rate in the province increased by 0.6 percentage points to 7.7%, as more people searched for work.
Employment also increased in Nova Scotia (+5,000; +1.0%), Manitoba (+4,400; +0.6%) and Prince Edward Island (+900; +1.0%). While the unemployment rate was little changed in both Nova Scotia (at 6.7%) and Manitoba (at 5.8%) in August, it fell 0.7 percentage points to 8.2% in Prince Edward Island.
Newfoundland and Labrador was the lone province to record an employment decline in August (-2,400; -1.0%), pushing the unemployment rate up 0.8 percentage points to 10.4%.
Map 1
Unemployment rate by province and territory, August 2024
In Quebec, employment was little changed in August and the unemployment rate remained at 5.7%. Employment in the province was also little changed on a year-over-year basis, while the number of people in search of employment grew by 67,000 (+32.7%), pushing the unemployment rate up 1.3 percentage points.
Ontario also saw little employment change in August, following an increase of 22,000 (+0.3%) the previous month. The unemployment rate in Ontario increased 0.4 percentage points to 7.1% in August, as more people searched for work.
Unemployment rate rises in most of the large census metropolitan areas
Among Canada's 20 largest census metropolitan areas (CMAs), based on the size of the LFS population aged 15 and older, Windsor posted the highest unemployment rate at 9.2% in August, followed by Edmonton (8.6%) and Toronto (8.0%). Unemployment rates were lowest in the Victoria (3.3%) and Québec (4.0%) CMAs (three-month averages).
Infographic 3
Unemployment rate rises in most large census metropolitan areas
On a year-over-year basis, the unemployment rate rose in nearly all 20 of the largest CMAs, with the biggest increases in Windsor (+3.2 percentage points to 9.2%), Oshawa (+2.5 percentage points to 7.8%) and Edmonton (+2.4 percentage points to 8.6%) (three-month averages).
In the spotlight: Recent immigrants see little change in their average hourly earnings in August and are less likely to believe they are paid appropriately
On a year-over-year basis, average hourly wages for all employees increased 5.0% (+$1.69 to $35.16) in August, following increases of 5.4% in June and 5.2% in July (not seasonally adjusted).
Wage growth varied across different population groups. For recent immigrants (who had landed in Canada within the previous five years), average hourly wages were little changed at $30.59 (-1.3%) on a year-over-year basis in August. Among more established immigrants (who had landed in Canada more than five years earlier), average hourly wages rose 6.3% in the 12 months to August (+$2.15 to $36.15).
In comparison, Canadian-born employees saw their average hourly wage increase by 6.0% (+$2.04 to $35.83 per hour) over the same period.
In August, the LFS included additional questions about the extent to which workers were satisfied with their pay and felt that they were paid appropriately, considering their efforts and achievements.
The results show that the majority of employees aged 15 to 69 either strongly agreed (22.8%) or somewhat agreed (39.8%) that they were paid appropriately in their job. More than 7 in 10 employees (72.5%) who had hourly wages in the top quartile of the wage distribution strongly or somewhat agreed that they were paid appropriately, compared with fewer than 6 in 10 (56.5%) among those with wages in the bottom quartile of the wage distribution.
In August, more than one-third of employees who were recent immigrants (35.1%) had hourly wages in the lowest quartile of the wage distribution, compared with less than one-quarter for their Canadian-born counterparts (23.5%).
The proportion of recent immigrants who somewhat or strongly agreed that they were paid appropriately (57.3%) was lower than the corresponding proportions for both employees born in Canada (64.0%) and more established immigrants (60.2%).
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Sustainable Development Goals
On 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 August are for the week of August 11 to 17, 2024.
The LFS estimates are based on a sample and are therefore subject to sampling variability. As a result, monthly estimates will show more variability than trends observed over longer time periods. For more information, see "Interpreting Monthly Changes in Employment from the Labour Force Survey."
This analysis focuses on differences between estimates that are statistically significant at the 68% confidence level.
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 (71-543-G).
Face-to-face personal interviewing resumed in November 2022. Telephone interviews continued to be conducted by interviewers working mainly from their homes rather than Statistics Canada's call centres, as they have since March 2020. About 48,700 interviews were completed in August 2024 and in-depth data quality evaluations conducted each month confirm that the LFS continues to produce an accurate portrait of Canada's labour market.
The employment rate is the number of employed people as a percentage of the population aged 15 and older. The rate for a particular group (for example, youths aged 15 to 24) 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 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).
In general, month-to-month or year-to-year changes in the number of people employed in an age group reflect the net effect of two factors: (1) the number of people who changed employment status between reference periods, and (2) the number of employed people who entered or left the age group (including through aging, death or migration) between reference periods.
Seasonal adjustment
Unless otherwise stated, this release presents seasonally adjusted estimates, which facilitate comparisons by removing the effects of seasonal variations. For more information on seasonal adjustment, see Seasonally adjusted data – Frequently asked questions.
Population growth in the Labour Force Survey
The LFS target population includes all persons aged 15 years and older whose usual place of residence is in Canada, with the exception of those living on reserves, full-time members of the regular Armed Forces and persons living in institutions (including inmates of penal institutions and patients in hospitals and nursing homes).
The LFS 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, including changes in the number of non-permanent residents. LFS population calibration totals are derived from Canada's official population estimates using similar sources and methods, with minor adjustments being made to reflect exclusions from the LFS target population.
Information on racialized groups
Data on "racialized groups" are derived from the "visible minority" variable. "Visible minority" refers to whether a person belongs to one of the visible minority groups defined by the Employment Equity Act. The Employment Equity Act defines visible minorities as "persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour." The visible minority population consists mainly of the following groups: South Asian, Chinese, Black, Filipino, Latin American, Arab, Southeast Asian, West Asian, Korean and Japanese.
Next release
The next release of the LFS will be on October 11. September data will reflect labour market conditions during the week of September 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 (71-543-G).
The product "Labour Force Survey in brief: Interactive app" (14200001) is also available. This interactive visualization application provides seasonally adjusted estimates by province, sex, age group and industry.
The product "Labour Market Indicators, by province and census metropolitan area, seasonally adjusted" (71-607-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" (71-607-X) is also available. This dynamic web application provides access to labour market indicators for Canada, provinces, territories and economic regions.
The product Labour Force Survey: Public Use Microdata File (71M0001X) 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 information
For 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; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).
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