Labour Force Survey, May 2025
Released: 2025-06-06
Highlights
Employment was little changed in May (+8,800; +0.0%) and the employment rate held steady at 60.8%. The unemployment rate rose 0.1 percentage points to 7.0%.
In May, employment among core-aged (25 to 54 years old) women increased by 42,000 (+0.6%), while among core-aged men it fell by 31,000 (-0.4%). Employment was little changed for youth and people aged 55 years and older.
In May, employment grew in wholesale and retail trade (+43,000; +1.5%), information, culture and recreation (+19,000; +2.3%), finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing (+12,000; +0.8%) and utilities (+4,900; +3.1%). Employment fell in public administration (-32,000; -2.5%), accommodation and food services (-16,000; -1.4%), transportation and warehousing (-16,000; -1.4%) and business, building and other support services (-15,000; -2.1%).
Employment increased in British Columbia (+13,000; +0.4%), Nova Scotia (+11,000; +2.1%), and New Brunswick (+7,600; +1.9%), while it declined in Quebec (-17,000; -0.4%), Manitoba (-5,800; -0.8%), and Prince Edward Island (-2,700; -2.9%). There was little change in the other provinces in May.
Total hours worked were unchanged in May but were up 0.9% compared with 12 months earlier.
Average hourly wages among employees increased 3.4% (+$1.20 to $36.14) on a year-over-year basis in May, the same growth rate as in April (not seasonally adjusted).
Employment holds steady in May
Employment held steady for a second consecutive month in May (+8,800; +0.0%). Growth in full-time employment (+58,000; +0.3%) was offset by a decline in part-time work (-49,000; -1.3%). Overall, there has been virtually no employment growth since January, following strong gains from October 2024 to January 2025 (+211,000; +1.0%).
The employment rate—the proportion of the population aged 15 and older who are employed—was unchanged at 60.8% in May, matching a recent low observed in October 2024. The employment rate had previously fallen for two consecutive months in March (-0.2 percentage points) and April 2025 (-0.1 percentage points).
Chart 1
Employment rate holds steady in May
The number of employees in the private sector rose by 61,000 (+0.4%) in May, the first increase since January. Public sector employment fell by 21,000 (-0.5%) in the month, following an increase in April that was attributable in part to the hiring of temporary workers for the federal election. Self-employment also fell (-30,000; -1.1%) in May, the first significant decrease since May 2023.
Employment rate up for core-aged women, while it falls for core-aged men to lowest rate since 2018
Among core-aged women (25 to 54 years old), employment rose by 42,000 (+0.6%) in May, and the employment rate rose 0.5 percentage points to 80.1%. The increase in the month partially offset a strong employment decline recorded in the previous month (-60,000; -0.9%), which had driven the employment rate down 0.9 percentage points.
Among core-aged men, employment fell by 31,000 (-0.4%) in May. This followed an increase of 24,000 (+0.3%) in April. The employment rate among core-aged men fell 0.5 percentage points to 86.0% in May, the lowest rate since August 2018 (excluding 2020 and 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic).
Employment was little changed for a fourth consecutive month among youth aged 15 to 24 in May. The youth employment rate was 54.1% in May, unchanged in the month but down 1.1 percentage points on a year-over-year basis.
For people aged 55 years and older, employment was little changed, both in the month and on a year-over-year basis.
Infographic 1
Employment rate by age group, May 2025
Unemployment rate rises to 7.0%, the highest since 2016
The unemployment rate increased 0.1 percentage points to 7.0% in May, the highest rate since September 2016 (excluding 2020 and 2021, during the pandemic). The uptick in May was the third consecutive monthly increase; since February, the unemployment rate has risen by a combined total of 0.4 percentage points.
There were 1.6 million unemployed people in May, an increase of 13.8% (+191,000) from 12 months earlier. A smaller share of people who were unemployed in April transitioned into employment in May (22.6%), compared with one year earlier (24.0%) and compared with the pre-pandemic average for the same months in 2017, 2018 and 2019 (31.5%) (not seasonally adjusted). This indicates that people are facing greater difficulties finding work in the current labour market.
The average duration of unemployment has also been rising; unemployed people had spent an average of 21.8 weeks searching for work in May, up from 18.4 weeks in May 2024. Furthermore, nearly half (46.5%) of people unemployed in May 2025 had not worked in the previous 12 months or had never worked, up from 40.7% in May 2024 (not seasonally adjusted).
The layoff rate—representing the proportion of people who were employed in April but had become unemployed in May as a result of a layoff—was 0.6%, unchanged from May 2024 (not seasonally adjusted).
Chart 2
Unemployment rate rises to 7.0% in May
In May, the unemployment rate increased 0.4 percentage points among core-aged men to reach 6.2%. There was little change in the unemployment rate of core-aged women (5.7%), youth (14.2%), or people aged 55 years and older (5.3%).
Infographic 2
Unemployment rate by age group, May 2025
Youth face difficult start to summer job market
May marks the beginning of another summer student job season—an important source of income and work experience for many youth. From May to August, the Labour Force Survey collects labour market information about students who attended school full time in March and who intend to return to school full time in the fall. The month of May provides the first indicator of the summer job market, especially for older youth, as high-school students are still attending classes.
In May, the unemployment rate among returning students aged 15 to 24 was 20.1%, an increase of 3.2 percentage points from May 2024 (not seasonally adjusted). The unemployment rate for this group has trended up each May from the record low of 11.4% in May 2022, which was observed during a tight labour market.
The unemployment rate for returning students aged 15 to 24 in May 2025 was comparable to the rates last observed in May 2009 (20.0%) and May 1999 (20.1%) (excluding the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021).
Chart 3
Unemployment rate for returning students aged 15 to 24, month of May, 1977 to 2025
For young men, the unemployment rate among returning students was 22.1% (+4.1 percentage points year-over-year) in May 2025. For young women, it was 18.4% (+2.3 percentage points year over year).
Chart 4
Upward trend in unemployment rate of returning students among both men and women
Among employed returning students in May, most worked in retail trade (28.8%), accommodation and food services (20.5%), and information, culture and recreation (13.1%). On a year-over-year basis, employment among returning students in accommodation and food services fell by 22.1% (-66,000), while their employment in the other two industries was little changed.
Across all industries, the most common occupations for returning students in May were retail salespersons; food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations; cashiers; as well as program leaders and instructors in recreation, sport and fitness.
Among youth aged 15 to 24 who were not returning students, the unemployment rate was 12.2%, compared with 11.6% 12 months earlier.
Employment up in wholesale and retail trade, while declines in public administration offset temporary hiring in the previous month
Employment rose in wholesale and retail trade (+43,000; +1.5%) in May, driven by gains in wholesale trade. The increase partially offsets monthly declines in March and April 2025 which totalled 55,000 (-1.8%).
In May, employment also increased in information, culture and recreation (+19,000; +2.3%) and finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing (+12,000; +0.8%). Employment has trended up in finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing since October 2024, with a net increase of 79,000 (+5.6%) over the period.
Meanwhile, employment fell in public administration (-32,000; -2.5%), offsetting the increase in April that was related to temporary hiring for the federal election. Prior to these offsetting changes, there had been little change in public administration employment since July 2024.
Chart 5
Employment change by industry, May 2025
Employment also declined in May in transportation and warehousing (-16,000; -1.4%); accommodation and food services (-16,000; -1.4%) and business, building and other support services (-15,000; -2.1%).
Employment increases in British Columbia, down in Quebec
Employment in British Columbia rose by 13,000 (+0.4%) in May, following little change over the previous three months. The unemployment rate in the province was little changed at 6.4%. In Victoria, the unemployment rate (3.7%) was the lowest among Canada's 20 largest census metropolitan areas (CMAs) in May (three-month moving averages). The unemployment rate in Vancouver (6.4%) was similar to the provincial average.
Employment also increased in Nova Scotia (+11,000; +2.1%) and New Brunswick (+7,600; +1.9%) in May, and the unemployment rate fell in both provinces (down 0.7 percentage points to 6.5% in Nova Scotia and down 0.6 percentage points to 6.3% in New Brunswick).
Employment decreased in Quebec (-17,000; -0.4%) in May, offsetting a similar-sized increase in April. Prior to April, employment in Quebec had held steady for four consecutive months. The unemployment rate in Quebec was little changed at 5.8% in May.
Employment in Ontario was virtually unchanged in May, following declines totalling 62,000 (-0.8%) over the previous two months. The unemployment rate in Ontario stood at 7.9% in May, little changed from April.
Regions of Southern Ontario have faced an uncertain economic climate brought on by the threat or imposition of tariffs on motor vehicle and parts exports. The highest unemployment rates across Canada's 20 largest CMAs in May were in Windsor (10.8%), Oshawa (9.1%) and Toronto (8.8%) (three-month moving averages). The unemployment rate has increased sharply since January in both Windsor (+1.7 percentage points) and Oshawa (+0.9 percentage points).
Map 1
Unemployment rate by province and territory, May 2025
Infographic 3
Unemployment rate rises in most of the large census metropolitan areas
In the spotlight: Employment rate holds steady for core-aged First Nations people living off reserve
June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada, a time to recognize the rich history, heritage, resilience and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis.
In May 2025, the employment rate for First Nations people aged 25 to 54 living off reserve was 68.2%, little changed from one year earlier (three-month moving averages; not seasonally adjusted). The employment rate among this age group was lower for First Nations women (64.0%) compared with men (72.8%).
Among core-aged Métis, the employment rate in May 2025 (81.1%) was up 3.2 percentage points on a year-over-year basis. In Nunavut, the employment rate of core-aged Inuit (55.8%) was little changed from a year earlier.
The employment rates for Indigenous youth were significantly lower than for their core-aged counterparts, consistent with the pattern observed for the non-Indigenous population. In May, the employment rate among First Nations youth (aged 15 to 24) living off reserve (46.1%) and Métis youth (53.5%) were both little changed from the same month in 2024. Among young Inuit living in Nunavut, the employment rate in May (28.1%) was down 7.5 percentage points compared with one year earlier.
Did you know we have a mobile app?
Download our mobile app and get timely access to data at your fingertips! The StatsCAN app is available for free on the App Store and on Google Play.
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 May reflect labour market conditions during the reference week of May 11 to 17, 2025.
The sample size of the LFS is approximately 65,000 households, representing over 100,000 respondents each month. For more information, see the Guide to the Labour Force Survey.
This analysis focuses on differences between estimates that are statistically significant at the 68% confidence level. Monthly estimates may show more sampling variability than trends observed over longer time periods. For more information, see "Interpreting Monthly Changes in Employment from the Labour Force Survey."
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.
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, youth 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).
Labour market information on the Indigenous population living off reserve in the provinces is available in the LFS and published as three-month moving averages. Estimates for Inuit are not reported separately for the provinces owing to a smaller sample size for this population. The LFS uses a different methodology to survey the territories. Annual estimates are available by Indigenous group, including for Inuit living in Nunavut.
Seasonal adjustment
Unless otherwise stated, estimates presented in this release are seasonally adjusted, which facilitates comparisons by removing the effects of typical 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 some exceptions (those living on reserves, full-time members of the regular Armed Forces and persons living in institutions). The 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 derived from Canada's official population estimates, with minor adjustments being made to reflect the LFS target population.
While the LFS population totals are generally aligned with official demographic estimates, the official estimates should be considered the official measure of population change in Canada. More information on how population totals in the LFS are calculated can be found in the article "Interpreting population totals from the Labour Force Survey."
Regional unemployment rates used by the Employment Insurance program
As a result of a temporary measure in effect from April 6 to July 12, 2025, the unemployment rates are adjusted by one percentage point (to a maximum of 13.1%) in all Employment Insurance economic regions, ensuring that no region has an unemployment rate less than 7.1%. Regions with an unemployment rate of 13.1% or higher keep their actual rate. For more information, see Temporary Employment Insurance measures to respond to major changes in economic conditions.
Updates to the Labour Force Survey sample design beginning in April 2025
Every 10 years, the LFS sample is redesigned to reflect changes in population characteristics and updated geographical boundaries. The updated sample design—based on the 2021 Census population characteristics and the 2021 Standard Geographical Classification—is being phased in from April to September 2025. For more information, see Section 4 of the Guide to the Labour Force Survey.
Data for the Labour Market Indicators program are now available for May 2025.
Next release
The next release of the LFS will be on July 11. June data will reflect labour market conditions during the week of June 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, gender, 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 market indicators, census metropolitan areas, census agglomerations and self-contained labour areas: Interactive dashboard" (71-607-X) is also available. This dashboard allows users to visually explore the estimates using an interactive map as well as time series charts and tables.
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).
- Date modified: