Update on the 2025 Canada Job Market: September Labour Force Survey

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The latest Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey for September 2025 reveals a rebound in Canada's job market, as employment grew by 60,000 (+0.3%), partially offsetting declines from the previous two months. This growth was concentrated in full-time work (+106,000) and the public sector, while the national unemployment rate held steady at 7.1%.

Statistics Canada’s latest Labour Force Survey reports that the Canadian unemployment rate was unchanged at 7.1 per cent in September 2025. In a reversal of recent trends, employment increased by 60,000 (+0.3%) in September, partially offsetting the cumulative declines seen over the previous two months. The employment rate also rose by 0.1 percentage points to 60.6 per cent, suggesting a slight stabilization in the market. Year-over-year, employment was still up by 1.1 per cent, with approximately 236,000 more people working in September 2025 compared to September 2024, though the pace of annual growth continues to decelerate relative to earlier months.

Job Losses and Gains in August 2025

Canada’s Unemployment Rate

Provincial Unemployment Breakdown July 2025

Employer and Worker Confidence

Numbers You Can Count On

September labour force release 60K jobs increased, 7.1% unemployment rate, 236K employment gains YoY

For more context on the Canada job market's evolution over the past three months, check out the previous updates:

Update on the 2025 Canada Job Market: August Labour Force Survey

Update on the 2025 Canada Job Market: July Labour Force Survey

Update on the 2025 Canada Job Market: June Labour Force Survey

Read the latest Robert Half Labour Market Overview Insights on Canada’s job market data, updated monthly

Job gains and losses in September 2025

Employment trends in September 2025 showed a mixed picture across major industries, contrasting with the softening seen in previous months. The largest gains were concentrated in goods-producing and public-facing sectors:

Manufacturing saw a significant rebound, increasing by 28,000 jobs (+1.5 per cent from August) its first increase since January.

Health care and social assistance added 14,000 jobs (+0.5 per cent from August).

Agriculture also posted a notable gain, rising by 13,000 (+6.1 per cent from August).

On the other hand, the largest decline was recorded in Wholesale and retail trade, which shed 21,000 jobs (-0.7 per cent from August). These shifts suggest that the labour market adjustments are continuing, with resilience returning to areas like manufacturing and consumer-facing sectors face ongoing pressures.

Other industries that reported job gains in September 2025, according to Statistics Canada, include:

Other services*: +12,100 (+1.6 per cent)

Professional, scientific and technical services: +9,400 (+0.5 per cent)

Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing: +8,500 (+0.6 per cent)

Accommodation and food services: +7,500 (+0.6 per cent)

Natural resources: +7,100 (+2.2 per cent)

Public administration: +3,400 (+0.3 per cent)

Utilities: +2,000 (+1.2 per cent)

*‘Other services’ includes businesses and organizations providing services not covered by other sectors.

Percentages above represent MoM change

While employment grew nationally in September 2025, several key sectors still saw job losses. The largest decline was recorded in Wholesale and retail trade, which shed 20,800 jobs (-0.7 per cent from August). Modest but notable losses were also seen in the Construction sector, down 8,200 jobs (-0.5 per cent from August) and Transportation and warehousing with a decline of 7,400 jobs (-0.7 per cent from August). These ongoing reductions in goods-handling and trade-related industries suggest continued pressure points in the Canadian economy, partially moderating the strong gains seen elsewhere in the labour market.

Canada’s unemployment remains at 7.1 per cent

Statistics Canada’s September 2025 Labour Force Survey reported that Canada’s national unemployment rate remained unchanged from August to September at 7.1 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: 3.3 per cent (3.8 per cent in August 2025)

Natural and applied sciences and related occupations, which includes technology roles: 2.2 per cent (3.5 per cent in August 2025)

Management occupations, which includes marketing and creative roles: 2.0 per cent (2.2 per cent in August 2025)

Occupations in education, law and social, community and government services, which includes legal roles: 3.1 per cent (11.3 per cent in August 2025)

Customer support roles, which fall outside the above Statistics Canada categories: 4.6 per cent (4.4 per cent in August 2025)

Provincial Unemployment Breakdown September 2025

Unemployment rates by province:

British Columbia: 6.4 per cent (6.2 per cent in August 2025)

Alberta: 7.8 per cent (8.4 per cent in August 2025)

Saskatchewan: 6.0 per cent (4.7 per cent in August 2025)

Manitoba: 6.2 per cent (5.7 per cent in August 2025)

Ontario: 7.9 per cent (7.7 per cent in August 2025)

Quebec: 5.7 per cent (6.0 per cent in August 2025)

New Brunswick: 8.1 per cent (7.7 per cent in August 2025)

Prince Edward Island: 9.7 per cent (8.1 per cent in August 2025)

Nova Scotia: 6.2 per cent (6.5 per cent in August 2025)

Newfoundland and Labrador: 10.6 per cent (10.7 per cent in August 2025)

The September 2025 Labour Force Survey reflects a divergence in provincial labour markets, with rates easing in some areas (Alberta, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia) and rising in others (P.E.I., Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, British Columbia).

Employment trends varied sharply across Canada in September. Alberta led the country with a major gain of +43,000 jobs (+1.7 per cent), successfully offsetting earlier losses and dropping its unemployment rate by 0.6 percentage points. New Brunswick and Manitoba also posted notable gains, while employment was virtually unchanged in both Ontario and Quebec. In contrast, Newfoundland and Labrador saw a monthly decline of -2,200 jobs (-0.9 per cent). Overall, while employment rose in several key regions, the increase in the number of people searching for work caused unemployment rates to rise in most provinces, including Ontario, Manitoba, and British Columbia.

Percentages above represent MoM change

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: August Labour Force Survey

2025 Canada Job Market: July Labour Force Survey

2025 Canada Job Market: June 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 Report

Our 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 Guide

The 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.

2026 Canada Salary Guide: Insights and Compensation Trends from Robert Half

The 2026 Canada Salary Guide From Robert Half: How the Data Comes Together

What Industries Are Hiring Right Now in Canada? 2025 Update