Canada / Employment was virtually unchanged after the biggest gain in a decade last month

In June, employment was virtually unchanged and the unemployment rate remained at 7.1%. In the first half of 2013, employment growth averaged 14,000 per month, slower than the average of 27,000 in the last six months of 2012.

Over this 12-month period, employment grew by 1.4% (+242,000), and the total number of hours worked increased by 0.6%.

Chart 1 Employment

In June, employment increased in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, while it declined in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

Employment rose in professional, scientific and technical services, and declined in accommodation and food services as well as information, culture and recreation.

In June, employment was little changed among the major demographic groups.

Chart 2 Unemployment rate

Students

Among returning students aged 20 to 24, the employment rate was 68.0% in June, up from 63.2% in June 2012. Their unemployment rate was 11.4% in June, down from 13.0% a year earlier.

The employment rate for 17- to 19-year-old students was 51.9% in June, similar to the rate observed 12 months earlier. Over the same period, the unemployment rate for these students declined from 17.3% to 15.7%.

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via The Daily — Labour Force Survey, June 2013.