Canada Unemployment Rate

The unemployment rate in Canada rose to 6.8% in December 2025 from 6.5% in the previous month and above market expectations of 6.6%, as more people entered the job market in search of work. The uptick partially reversed a cumulative 0.6-percentage-point decline recorded over the prior two months. The number of unemployed rose by 73,000 to 1.6 million, while the labor force increased by 81,000, pushing the participation rate up to 65.4%. Net employment rose by 8,200 to 21.14 million, marking a fourth consecutive month of improvement. Gains were driven by a 50,200 increase in full-time employment, offset by a 42,000 decline in part-time work.