Unemployment rate, Canada
The unemployment rate in Canada was 6.50% in , up 0.10 pp from and down 0.60 pp from a year earlier. Over the latest 12 readings it moved between 6.40% and 6.90%. The next reading is for October 2026. Source: Statistics Canada, Table 14-10-0287-01; history from .
Key takeaways
- The unemployment rate at 6.50% in beats 38% of readings since (Statistics Canada).
- Against a ten-year average of 6.57%, the unemployment rate is below that norm by 0.07 pp (Statistics Canada).
- On the unemployment rate, Canada ranks 1st highest of 4 countries (national publishers).
What this indicator is and why it matters
The unemployment rate is the share of Canada's labor force aged 15 and over that is without work, available and looking for a job. Statistics Canada measures it in the Labour Force Survey, a monthly survey of tens of thousands of households, and publishes it early in the following month. Seasonal patterns, such as summer student jobs, are removed.
It is the main measure of slack in the Canadian labor market, and the Bank of Canada watches it alongside wage growth to judge whether demand is running ahead of supply. For lenders, rising unemployment is the clearest early warning of higher delinquencies on mortgages and consumer loans.
The survey has limits. Monthly changes of a few tenths of a percentage point can come from sampling variability, so trends over several months tell more than one release. Rapid population growth from immigration in recent years has meant that employment can rise strongly while the unemployment rate still climbs, because the labor force grew faster still. Canadian and US unemployment rates are also defined slightly differently, mainly in how they treat people who searched for work passively, so the Canadian rate runs somewhat higher on a like-for-like basis.
Where it sits in history
The unemployment rate is at its highest since , when it stood at 6.60%. Within ten years, the unemployment rate beats 56% of readings; earlier years held the unemployment rate higher.
| Window | Latest is higher than | Average | Highest | Lowest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Since January 2006 | 38% of readings | 6.89% | 14.20% | 4.80% |
| Last ten years | 56% of readings | 6.57% | 14.20% | 4.80% |
| Last five years | 58% of readings | 6.08% | 7.10% | 4.80% |
- Unemployment rate 6.5%
Recent readings
Last five years
- Unemployment rate 6.5%
Latest readings
| Period | Value | Change from previous |
|---|---|---|
| 6.50% | +0.10 pp | |
| 6.40% | 0.00 pp | |
| 6.40% | -0.10 pp | |
| 6.50% | -0.10 pp | |
| 6.60% | -0.30 pp | |
| 6.90% | +0.20 pp | |
| 6.70% | 0.00 pp | |
| 6.70% | +0.20 pp | |
| 6.50% | -0.30 pp | |
| 6.80% | +0.20 pp | |
| 6.60% | -0.30 pp | |
| 6.90% | -0.20 pp | |
| 7.10% | 0.00 pp |
Annual averages
By calendar-year average, the unemployment rate peaked in (9.74%) and bottomed in (5.25%). 2026 to date: 6.58%, after 6.86% in 2025.
| Year | Average | Low | High | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (part year) | 6.58% | 6.40% | 6.90% | 9 |
| 2025 | 6.86% | 6.60% | 7.10% | 12 |
| 2024 | 6.37% | 5.70% | 7.00% | 12 |
| 2023 | 5.39% | 5.10% | 5.80% | 12 |
| 2022 | 5.25% | 4.80% | 6.40% | 12 |
| 2021 | 7.48% | 5.90% | 9.20% | 12 |
| 2020 | 9.74% | 5.50% | 14.20% | 12 |
| 2019 | 5.68% | 5.50% | 5.90% | 12 |
| 2018 | 5.83% | 5.60% | 6.00% | 12 |
| 2017 | 6.42% | 6.00% | 6.90% | 12 |
| 2016 | 7.05% | 6.80% | 7.30% | 12 |
| 2015 | 7.00% | 6.80% | 7.30% | 12 |
| 2014 | 7.06% | 6.70% | 7.30% | 12 |
| 2013 | 7.21% | 7.10% | 7.40% | 12 |
| 2012 | 7.44% | 7.30% | 7.70% | 12 |
| 2011 | 7.62% | 7.40% | 7.80% | 12 |
| 2010 | 8.16% | 7.80% | 8.40% | 12 |
| 2009 | 8.47% | 7.50% | 8.80% | 12 |
| 2008 | 6.31% | 6.10% | 7.00% | 12 |
| 2007 | 6.16% | 6.00% | 6.40% | 12 |
| 2006 | 6.45% | 6.20% | 6.70% | 12 |
Same measure in other countries
The unemployment rate in Canada is above 3 of the other 3 comparable readings. Four countries compared.
| Country | Series | Latest | Period | Change on a year earlier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | Unemployment rate | 6.50% | -0.60 pp | |
| United States | Unemployment rate | 4.20% | September 2026 | -0.20 pp |
| Australia | Unemployment rate | 4.72% | September 2026 | +0.29 pp |
| United Kingdom | Unemployment rate | 4.90% | June 2026 | +0.20 pp |
How is it measured?
Unemployment rate, Canada, 15 years and over, both genders, seasonally adjusted (Labour Force Survey).
Statistics Canada publishes the unemployment rate monthly in Table 14-10-0287-01, in percent and is seasonally adjusted. Code: 14100287:1.7.1.1.1.1. Method for the unemployment rate.
Questions
How high is the unemployment rate in Canada now?
6.50% in (Statistics Canada), down 0.60 pp on a year earlier.
Is the unemployment rate high by historical standards?
The unemployment rate beats 38% of readings since ; its peak was 14.20% (), its low 4.80% ().
When is the unemployment rate updated?
Monthly, in Table 14-10-0287-01. Next reading: October 2026.
Where can I check the unemployment rate at the source?
Statistics Canada data, code 14100287:1.7.1.1.1.1.