The latest Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey for January 2025 saw slight changes in Canada's job market, as employment fell by 25,000 (MoM -0.1%).Statistics Canada’s latest Labour Force Survey reports that the Canadian unemployment rate decreased by 0.3 percentage points to 6.5 per cent in January 2026. The employment rate decreased slightly to 60.8 per cent. Year-over-year, employment was up by 0.6 per cent, with approximately 134,300 more people working in January 2026 compared to January 2025.
January 2026 Labour Force Release
25,000 jobs decreased
6.5% unemployment rate (0.3 percentage point decrease)
134,300 employment gains over 13 months
Source: Statistics Canada - seasonally adjusted, January 2025- January 2026
Employment patterns continued to shift in the first month of 2026, with gains in some sectors and declines in others. Employment increased in information, culture and recreation (+17,000; +2.0%) in January, continuing an upward trend that began in September 2025. On a year-over-year basis, employment in this industry was up 30,000 (+3.6%) in January.Other industries that reported job gains in January 2026, according to Statistics Canada, include:Business, building and other support services: +14,000 (+2.1 per cent)Agriculture: +10,500 (+4.2 per cent)Construction: +8,900 (+0.6 per cent)Health care and social assistance: +8,400 (+0.3 per cent)Utilities: +4,200 (+2.5 per cent)Wholesale and retail trade: +3,200 (+0.1 per cent)Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing: +700 (+0.1 per cent)On the other hand, the number of people working in manufacturing fell by 28,000 (-1.5%) in January. The decline in January was concentrated in Ontario. On a year-over-year basis, overall employment in manufacturing was down 51,000 (-2.7%). Other industries that reported job losses in January 2026, according to Statistics Canada, include:Educational services: -24,200 (-1.5 per cent)Professional, scientific and technical services: -11,200 (-0.6 per cent)Public administration: -10,000 (-0.8 per cent)Accommodation and food services: -7,500 (-0.6 per cent)Transportation and warehousing: -6,400 (-0.6 per cent)Other services: -5,100 (-0.6 per cent)*‘Other services’ includes businesses and organizations providing services not covered by other sectors.All percentages above represent MoM change
Canada’s unemployment rate decreases in January 2026
Statistics Canada’s January 2026 Labour Force Survey reported that Canada’s national unemployment rate decreased by 0.3 percentage points from December to January to 6.5 per cent. For businesses seeking to navigate this evolving labour market landscape, these statistics offer valuable insights for workforce planning and recruitment strategies for 2026.While the job market in Canada continues to fluctuate across many sectors, the unemployment rates for skilled professionals supported by Robert Half Canada’s staffing experts – continue to be below the national average:Business, finance and administration occupations, which includes finance and accounting, HR, and administration and customer service roles: 3.1 per cent (3.2 per cent in December 2025)Natural and applied sciences and related occupations, which includes technology roles: 3 per cent (3.1 per cent in December 2025)Management occupations, which includes marketing and creative roles: 2.2 per cent (2.0 per cent in December 2025)Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services, which includes legal roles: 2.1 per cent (1.9 per cent in December 2025)Customer support roles, which fall outside the above Statistics Canada categories:4.6 per cent (3.8 per cent in December 2025)
Provincial unemployment breakdown January 2026
Unemployment rates by province:British Columbia: 6.1 per cent (-0.2 per cent)Alberta: 6.4 per cent (-0.3 per cent)Saskatchewan: 5.3 per cent (-1.1 per cent)Manitoba: 6.3 per cent (+0.6 per cent)Ontario: 7.3 per cent (-0.6 per cent)Quebec: 5.2 per cent (-0.1 per cent)New Brunswick: 6.7 per cent (+0.2 per cent)Prince Edward Island: 7.6 per cent (+0.5 per cent)Nova Scotia: 6.9 per cent (+0.5 per cent)Newfoundland and Labrador: 9.2 per cent (-1.3 per cent)All percentages in brackets above represent MoM changeThe January 2026 Labour Force Survey continues to reflect a shift in provincial labour markets, with rates easing in some areas (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador) and rising in others (Manitoba, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia).Employment trends varied across Canada in January. Employement decreased in Ontario (-67,000; -0.8%), while it rose in Alberta (+20,000; +0.8%), Saskatchewan (+6,100; +1.0%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (+3,800; +1.6%). There was little change in the other provinces.This varying provincial performance underscores the complexity of Canada’s labour market, where regional economic factors, trade dynamics, and sector-specific trends continue to shape employment outcomes.Read Robert Half Job Market Updates to get a full picture of Canada’s Labour Force:2025 Canada Job Market: December Labour Force Survey2025 Canada Job Market: November Labour Force Survey2025 Canada Job Market: October Labour Force Survey
Employer and worker confidence
While many of the Canada job market’s latest numbers continue to indicate a challenging economic climate, the unemployment rates for skilled professionals remain steady which align with Robert Half Canada’s latest Demand For Skilled Talent report.The research found that more than half – 55 per cent – of Canadian companies surveyed planned to add new permanent positions in the first half of 2026. Half of the business leaders surveyed are increasing the number of contract professionals they enlist to support new projects during the same period. The research also reveals, 53 per cent of business leaders are finding it more difficult to hire skilled talent than a year ago, with 64 per cent saying AI-generated applications make the process more challenging.While many of the Canada job market’s latest numbers continue to indicate a challenging economic climate, the unemployment rates for skilled professionals remain steady which align with Robert Half Canada’s latest Demand For Skilled Talent report. For organizations seeking to hire skilled professionals, the message is clear: Competition for top talent remains and is likely to continue throughout 2026. That’s why companies are responding by offering the following:Work-life balance (e.g., hybrid work) (52 per cent)Financial benefits (e.g., bonuses) (51 per cent)Retirement benefits (43 per cent)Health and wellness programs (39 per cent)Data from the new 2026 Canada Salary Guide from Robert Half
Numbers you can count on
Get the ReportOur latest Demand for Skilled Talent report provides Canadian employers with the latest employment trends and challenges across six professional fields: finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, administrative and customer support, and human resources.
Access the GuideThe 2026 Canada Salary Guide From Robert Half covers Canadian hiring and compensation trends across the six fields as well, incorporating exclusive data and input from surveys of thousands of Canadian workers and hiring managers, along with salary information for professionals we’ve matched with employers across the country.Whether you’re launching a job search, actively hiring talent or developing a staffing strategy for your business, there’s no better source of insights into today’s salary and compensation trends than the 2026 Canada Salary Guide From Robert Half.
