Canada, February 2015 – The unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points to 6.8%

Employment was unchanged in February, while the unemployment rate rose by 0.2 percentage points to 6.8% as more people searched for work.

In the 12 months to February, employment increased by 130,000 (+0.7%) with most of the growth in the second half of the period.

Compared with February 2014, full-time employment rose by 121,000 (+0.8%), while there was little change in part-time work. Over the same period, the total number of hours worked was up slightly (+0.2%).

Chart 1 Employment

In February, employment increased among men aged 55 and older, while there was little change in the other demographic groups.

Provincially, employment declined in Alberta, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, while it increased in Quebec.

Chart 2 Unemployment rate

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at  The Daily — Labour Force Survey, February 2015.