Payroll employment, earnings and hours, and job vacancies, May 2026
Released: 2026-07-30
$1,337.77
May 2026
3.4% 
(12-month change)
$1,266.10
May 2026
-1.3% 
(12-month change)
$1,189.61
May 2026
4.5%
(12-month change)
$1,217.66
May 2026
5.3%
(12-month change)
$1,228.55
May 2026
3.8%
(12-month change)
$1,293.11
May 2026
3.5%
(12-month change)
$1,377.49
May 2026
3.8%
(12-month change)
$1,218.31
May 2026
4.8%
(12-month change)
$1,298.13
May 2026
3.5%
(12-month change)
$1,378.85
May 2026
1.4%
(12-month change)
$1,354.67
May 2026
4.6%
(12-month change)
$1,505.43
May 2026
0.2%
(12-month change)
$1,765.69
May 2026
1.4%
(12-month change)
$1,862.20
May 2026
6.6%
(12-month change)
The number of employees receiving pay and benefits from their employer—measured as "payroll employment" in the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours—increased by 24,100 (+0.1%) in May, following an increase of 59,000 (+0.3%) in April and little change in March. On a year-over-year basis, payroll employment was up by 112,500 (+0.6%) in May.
Meanwhile, job vacancies were little changed at 495,700 job vacancies in May, marking the fifth consecutive month of little variation in Canada. Year-over-year job vacancies were little changed.
Chart 1
Payroll employment increases in May, following an increase in April and little change in March
The monthly payroll employment gain in May was driven by public administration (+11,700; +0.9%), health care and social assistance (+6,800; +0.3%), retail trade (+5,600; +0.3%) and administrative and support, waste management and remediation services (+3,100; +0.4%). These gains were partially offset by decreases in finance and insurance (-5,700; -0.7%) and professional, scientific and technical services (-3,400; -0.3%).
Chart 2
Payroll employment changes by sector month over month in May
Payroll employment in public administration increases for the third consecutive month in May
Payroll employment in public administration (+11,700; +0.9%) increased for the third consecutive month in May, continuing an upward trend from February to May, with a cumulative gain of 28,200 (+2.1%) over this period. Local, municipal and regional public administration (+10,900; +2.1%) recorded the largest increase from February to April, while federal government public administration (+9,700; +2.6%) contributed the most to the sector's gain in May. The increase in federal government public administration in May was associated with the hiring of census enumerators and crew leaders.
Payroll employment in health care and social services continues to trend up
Payroll employment in health care and social assistance rose by 6,800 (+0.3%) in May, bringing the cumulative increase since September 2025 to 55,900 (+2.3%). Over this period, payroll employment in this sector increased in 14 out of 18 industries, led by general medical and surgical hospitals (+15,700; +2.4%), community care facilities for the elderly (+7,400; +5.1%) and child day-care services (+7,300; +3.6%).
Retail trade records a payroll employment increase for the third consecutive month
In May, payroll employment in retail trade (+5,600; +0.3%) increased for the third consecutive month, bringing the cumulative gain since March to 20,500 (+1.0%).
The monthly increase in May was concentrated in food and beverage retailers (+5,100; +1.0%), motor vehicle and parts dealers (+1,100; +0.5%) and general merchandise retailers (+1,000; +0.4%). The monthly gains were slightly offset by a decline in furniture, home furnishings, electronics and appliances retailers (-1,100; -1.1%). On a year-over-year basis, payroll employment in retail trade was up by 4,800 (+0.2%) in May.
Payroll employment in finance and insurance decreases in May
In May, payroll employment in finance and insurance fell by 5,700 (-0.7%), following an upward trend from December 2025 to April 2026 (+10,900; +1.3%). The largest decline in May was in securities and commodity contracts intermediation and brokerage (-5,300; -9.6%).
On a year-over-year basis, payroll employment in finance and insurance was up by 9,300 (+1.1%) in May. This increase was led by depository credit intermediation (+11,300; +3.3%) and insurance carriers (+6,300; +3.7%) and was moderated by a decrease in securities and commodity contracts intermediation and brokerage (-12,300; -19.6%).
Professional, scientific and technical services record a payroll employment decrease in May
Payroll employment in professional, scientific and technical services recorded a decrease of 3,400 (-0.3%) in May, following four consecutive months of little change from January to April 2026.
Year over year, payroll employment in the sector was down by 7,500 (-0.6%) in May, led by computer systems design and related services (-9,300; -2.5%) and management, scientific and technical consulting services (-3,700; -3.0%). The year-over-year declines were slightly offset by gains in legal services (+2,400; +2.2%) and advertising, public relations, and related services (+1,300; +2.3%).
Average weekly earnings increase on a year-over-year basis
In May, average weekly earnings ($1,338) were little changed from April.
Year over year, average weekly earnings were up 3.4% in May, following an increase of 3.7% in April. In general, growth in average weekly earnings can reflect a range of factors, including changes in wages, composition of employment, hours worked and base-year effects.
In May, average weekly hours worked (33.4 hours) were little changed on a month-over-month and year-over-year basis.
Employment trends from the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours and the Labour Force Survey
Statistics Canada has two monthly surveys that measure employment levels and trends: the Labour Force Survey (LFS), a household survey, and the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours (SEPH), which combines administrative data and establishment-level survey data from the Business Payroll Survey.
Employment from the LFS and payroll employment from the SEPH both provide reliable information on current labour market conditions. Used together and in combination with other labour market indicators from other sources (like the Job Vacancy and Wage Survey), they contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of both labour supply and demand in Canada.
Today, Statistics Canada released the report "Monitoring employment trends using the Labour Force Survey and the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours." The report provides guidance on the interpretation of employment data from the LFS and SEPH. It also highlights important considerations to take into account when comparing employment data from each statistical program.
Job vacancies little changed in May
In May, the number of job vacancies (495,700) was little changed from April, marking the fifth consecutive month of little variation. Year over year, job vacancies were also little changed.
The job vacancy rate—which corresponds to the number of vacant positions as a proportion of total labour demand—was 2.8% in May, up 0.1% from the previous month and unchanged on a year-over-year basis. Since April 2025, the job vacancy rate has shown little variation, remaining within a narrow range of 2.7% to 2.8%.
Total labour demand—which corresponds to the sum of filled and unfilled positions—was up 0.3% in May 2026 from the previous month and up 0.8% year over year. Both increases were largely due to increases in payroll employment as job vacancies were little changed.
There were 3.0 unemployed persons for every job vacancy in May 2026, down 0.2 from the previous month and from May 2025. These decreases were the result of declines in the number of unemployed persons (according to the Labour Force Survey) coupled with little variation in the number of job vacancies.
Infographic 1
Job vacancies little changed for the fifth consecutive month
Job vacancies up in four sectors and down in two
In May, job vacancies were up in four sectors: construction (+5,900; +18.4%), professional, scientific and technical services (+4,500; +13.8%), finance and insurance (+2,100; +10.7%) and real estate and rental and leasing (+1,400; +25.0%). The increase in job vacancies for professional, scientific and technical services more than offset the decrease in the sector in April (-3,400; -9.5%).
Meanwhile, job vacancies were down in health care and social assistance (-11,500; -11.6%) and information and cultural industries (-3,100; -39.0%) in May. The decrease in job vacancies in health care and social assistance was the first significant monthly decrease for this sector since December 2024. The number of vacancies in health care and social assistance in May 2026 (87,500) was the lowest since March 2020 (when it was 73,200). Meanwhile, despite the monthly decrease in information and cultural industries, job vacancies in the sector were little changed on a year-over-year basis in May.
On a year-over-year basis, vacancies were up in four sectors, led by retail trade (+4,700; +9.6%), transportation and warehousing (+4,400; +18.2%) and manufacturing (+3,500; +10.1%). The only sector to record a year-over-year decrease was health care and social assistance (-15,900; -15.4%).
In May, the highest job vacancy rates were in accommodation and food services (4.3%), other services (except public administration) (3.7%) and health care and social assistance (3.4%). Meanwhile, the lowest job vacancy rates were in educational services (1.1%), management of companies and enterprises (1.4%) and information and cultural industries (1.4%).
Chart 3
Month over month, job vacancies increase in four sectors and decrease in two
Job vacancies up in Ontario
In May, Ontario was the only province to record a significant monthly variation in job vacancies, with an increase of 9,300 (+5.6%). Year over year, job vacancies were up in the Northwest Territories (+500 to 1,100) and were down in Nova Scotia (-2,100 to 12,400) and Nunavut (-500 to 200).
In May, among the provinces, the unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio was the highest in Newfoundland and Labrador (5.6). In contrast, Manitoba (2.3), Saskatchewan (2.4) and Quebec (2.4) reported the lowest ratios.
Map 1
Unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio by province and their change since May 2025
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 Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours 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
Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours
The key objective of the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours (SEPH) is to provide a monthly portrait of the level of earnings, employment and hours worked, by detailed industry, at the national, provincial and territorial levels.
Payroll employment, as measured by the SEPH, refers to the number of employees receiving pay and benefits (employment income) during a given month. The survey excludes the self-employed, owners and partners of unincorporated businesses and professional practices, and employees in the agricultural sector.
SEPH estimates are produced by integrating information from three sources: a census of approximately 1 million payroll deduction records provided by the Canada Revenue Agency; the Business Payrolls Survey, which collects data from a sample of 15,000 establishments; and administrative records of federal, provincial and territorial public administration employment, provided by these levels of government.
Estimates of average weekly earnings and hours worked are based on a sample and are therefore subject to sampling variability. This analysis focuses on differences between estimates that are statistically significant at the 68% confidence level. Payroll employment estimates are based on a census of administrative data and are not subject to sampling variability.
With each release of SEPH data, data for the preceding month are revised. Users are encouraged to use the most up-to-date data available for each month.
Statistics Canada also produces employment estimates from its Labour Force Survey (LFS). The LFS is a monthly household survey, the main objective of which is to divide the working-age population into three mutually exclusive groups: the employed (including the self-employed), the unemployed and those not in the labour force. This survey is the official source for the unemployment rate, and it collects data on the sociodemographic characteristics of all people in the labour market.
Employment trends from the SEPH and from the LFS generally track each other closely, especially over longer periods of time. That said, because of differences in concepts, definitions and methodologies, variations in employment levels in SEPH and in the LFS may differ, especially over shorter periods. For a more in-depth discussion of the conceptual differences between employment measures from the LFS and the SEPH, refer to Section 8 of the Guide to the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours (72-203-G).
The SEPH and LFS both also provide monthly indicators of pay received by employees. Used together, average weekly earnings (from SEPH) and average hourly wages (from the LFS) can provide a comprehensive portrait of pay dynamics in Canada. For information on definitions for each indicator, key conceptual and measurement differences, and guidance to data users on when to use each indicator, refer to the report "Earnings and Wages – A guide to using indicators from the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours and the Labour Force Survey."
Unless otherwise stated, this release presents seasonally adjusted data, which facilitate comparisons because the effects of seasonal variations are removed. For more information on seasonal adjustment, see Seasonal adjustment: Concepts and interpretation, 2026.
Non-farm payroll employment data are for all hourly and salaried employees and for the "other employees" category, which includes piece-rate and commission-only employees.
Unless otherwise specified, average weekly hours data are for hourly and salaried employees only and exclude businesses that could not be classified to a North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 2022 version 1.0 code.
All earnings data include overtime and exclude businesses that could not be classified to a NAICS code. Earnings data are based on gross taxable payroll before source deductions. Average weekly earnings are derived by dividing total weekly earnings by the number of employees. Changes in average weekly earnings can reflect a range of factors, including changes in wages, composition of employment, hours worked and base-year effects.
The base-year effect refers to the impact that trends from 12 months earlier (the base month) have on the current month's estimate of year-over-year change. In the case of SEPH, when the average weekly earnings in the base month is at the peak of a short-term trend, this tends to have a downward effect on year-over-year average weekly earnings growth in the current month. In contrast, if the value of the base month is at a low point of a trend, this tends to have an upward effect on the current month's year-over-year growth in average weekly earnings.
Job Vacancy and Wage Survey
The Job Vacancy and Wage Survey (JVWS) collection is done on a quarterly basis. The quarterly sample of business locations is allocated to the three collection months of the quarter, approximately balanced by province and by industrial sector across each of the three months. This allows both quarterly and monthly estimates to be produced.
Preliminary monthly estimates are produced for job vacancies, job vacancy rates and payroll employment using available responses from business locations sampled in the corresponding reference month. The reference period for the JVWS is the first day of the respective month. This analysis focuses on differences between estimates that are statistically significant at the 68% confidence level.
These preliminary monthly estimates are revised and finalized when the corresponding quarterly estimates are released or shortly thereafter. Users are encouraged to use the most up-to-date data available for each month.
Unless otherwise stated, this release presents seasonally adjusted data, which facilitate comparisons because the effects of seasonal variations are removed. For more information on seasonal adjustment, see Seasonal adjustment: Concepts and interpretation, 2026.
While JVWS employment is calibrated to the SEPH, SEPH payroll employment and JVWS preliminary monthly employment figures may differ because of calibration grouping and differences in scope and reference period.
The unemployment-to-job vacancy ratio excludes the territories for consistency with the geographic coverage of the comparable LFS data (table 14-10-0287-01).
The JVWS also provides comprehensive quarterly data on job vacancies by industrial sector and detailed occupation for Canada and the provinces, territories and economic regions; offered hourly wages; and job vacancy characteristics. More information about the concepts and use of data from the JVWS is available in the Guide to the Job Vacancy and Wage Survey (75-514-G).
Real-time data tables
Tables 14-10-0357-01 and 14-10-0358-01 have now been archived.
Real-time data tables 14-10-0331-01 and 14-10-0332-01 will be updated on August 17, 2026.
New data table on monthly payroll employment for agriculture and support activities
A new data table (14-10-0481) presenting the number of payroll employees in the agriculture and support activities industries is now available on the Statistics Canada website. This new monthly table includes all industries primarily engaged in crop production, animal production and aquaculture, and their respective support activities since January 2025.
To classify employment data by industry, the SEPH program uses industry codes assigned to businesses based on their main revenue-generating activity, using the NAICS. The population covered in this new SEPH data table includes crop production (NAICS 111), support activities for crop production (NAICS 1151), animal production and aquaculture (NAICS 112), and support activities for animal production (NAICS 1152). It is important to note that these agriculture-related industries are excluded from the total SEPH employment counts presented in table 14-10-0201-01.
Next release
June 2026 data for SEPH and JVWS will be released on August 27, 2026.
Products
More information about the concepts and use of the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours is available in the Guide to the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours (72-203-G).
The product "Earnings and payroll employment in brief: Interactive app" (14200001) is now available. This interactive data visualization application provides a comprehensive picture of the Canadian labour market using the most recent data from the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours. The estimates are seasonally adjusted and available by province and largest industrial sector. Historical estimates that go back 10 years are also included. The interactive application allows users to explore and personalize the information presented quickly and easily. Combine multiple provinces and industrial sectors to create your own labour market domains of interest.
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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