The latest Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey for November 2025 reveals another rebound in Canada's job market, as employment grew by 54,000 (+0.3%), the third consecutive monthly increase. This growth was concentrated in Alberta (+29,000), New Brunswick (+5,500) and Manitoba (+4,500).Statistics Canada’s latest Labour Force Survey reports that the Canadian unemployment rate decreased by 0.4 percentage points to 6.5 per cent in November 2025. The employment rate also rose by 0.1 percentage points to 60.9 per cent. Year-over-year, employment was up by 1.2 per cent, with approximately 309,100 more people working in November 2025 compared to November 2024.
November Labour Force Release
54,000 jobs increased
6.5% unemployment rate (0.2 percentage point decrease)
309,100 employment gains over 13 months
Source: Statistics Canada - seasonally adjusted, November 2024 - November 2025
Employment patterns shifted in November, with notable gains in some sectors and declines in others. The largest increase was recorded in health care and social assistance, which added 46,000 jobs (+1.6 per cent). According to Statistics Canada, over the past 12 months, this sector grew by 79,000 jobs (+2.8 per cent), with faster year-over-year growth among self-employed workers (+7.9%) and private sector employees (+3.3 per cent) compared to public sector employees (+1.0 per cent) (not seasonally adjusted). The largest gains were also concentrated in the following sectors this month:Employment also increased in accommodation and food services (+14,000; +1.2 per cent) in November, marking the first monthly increase in this industry since January.Natural resources employment rose by 11,000 (+3.4 per cent), the second increase in the last three months.Other industries that reported job gains in November 2025, according to Statistics Canada, include:Information, culture and recreation: +11,100 (+1.3 per cent)Other services: +7,300 (+0.9 per cent)Construction: +6,200 (+0.4 per cent)Professional, scientific and technical services: +5,900 (+0.3 per cent)Transportation and warehousing: +3,800 (+0.3 per cent)Business, building and other support services: +2,700 (+0.4 per cent)Utilities: +2,200 (+1.3 per cent)Agriculture: +400 (+0.2 per cent)*‘Other services’ includes businesses and organizations providing services not covered by other sectors.Percentages above represent MoM changeOn the other hand, the largest employment decline was recorded in wholesale and retail trade, which decreased by 34,000 (-1.1 per cent) in November, largely offsetting the increase in October. Other industries that reported job losses in November 2025, according to Statistics Canada, include:Manufacturing: -9,300 (-0.5 per cent)Public administration: -7,600 (-0.6 per cent)Educational services: -5,200 (-0.3 per cent)Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing: -800 (-0.05 per cent)
Canada’s unemployment decreases to 6.5 per cent
Statistics Canada’s November 2025 Labour Force Survey reported that Canada’s national unemployment rate decreased by 0.4 percentage points from October to November 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 the remainder of 2025.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: 2.9 per cent (3.1 per cent in October 2025)Natural and applied sciences and related occupations, which includes technology roles: 3.2 per cent (3 per cent in October 2025)Management occupations, which includes marketing and creative roles: 2.1 per cent (1.4 per cent in October 2025)Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services, which includes legal roles: 2.1 per cent (2.8 per cent in October 2025)Customer support roles, which fall outside the above Statistics Canada categories:4 per cent (4.5 per cent in October 2025)
Provincial unemployment breakdown November 2025
Unemployment rates by province:British Columbia: 6.4 per cent (6.6 per cent in October 2025)Alberta: 6.5 per cent (7.8 per cent in October 2025)Saskatchewan: 5.6 per cent (5.5 per cent in October 2025)Manitoba: 6.1 per cent (5.8 per cent in October 2025)Ontario: 7.3 per cent (7.6 per cent in October 2025)Quebec: 5.1 per cent (5.3 per cent in October 2025)New Brunswick: 6.6 per cent (7.9 per cent in October 2025)Prince Edward Island: 7.7 per cent (8.5 per cent in October 2025)Nova Scotia: 6.7 per cent (no change from October 2025)Newfoundland and Labrador: 10.4 per cent (10.1 per cent in October 2025)The November 2025 Labour Force Survey continues to reflect a shift in provincial labour markets, with rates easing in some areas (New Brunswick, Alberta, PEI, Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec) and rising in others (Newfoundland and Labrador, Manitoba, Saskatchewan).Employment trends varied across Canada in November. With the national unemployment rate easing down to 6.5 per cent, regional shifts were similar. In November, the unemployment rate in Alberta fell 1.3 percentage points to 6.5 per cent, the lowest rate for the province since March 2024 (6.5 per cent), with +29,000 job gains. Employment also increased in New Brunswick (+5,500; +1.4%) and Manitoba (+4,500; +0.6%) in November. For both provinces, this was the second increase in the past three months. Employment was little changed in Ontario and Quebec in November, with both provinces showing little net growth since January.Percentages above represent MoM changeThis 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: October Labour Force Survey2025 Canada Job Market: September Labour Force Survey2025 Canada Job Market: August 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, 58 per cent, of Canadian companies surveyed plan to add new permanent positions in the second half of 2025, while another 36 per cent plan to fill vacated positions. Nearly 7 in 10 business leaders are increasing the number of contract professionals they enlist to support new projects during the same period. The research also reveals, 82 per cent or more (percentage varies depending on the profession) of hiring managers reported challenges finding skilled talent in this current market.For organizations seeking to hire skilled professionals, the message is clear: Competition for top talent remains and is likely to continue throughout the latter half of this year. 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.
