Canada: Unemployment rate
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
The most recent value is 6.6 percent as of May 2026, a decline compared to the previous value of 6.9 percent. Historically, the average for Canada from January 1960 to May 2026 is 7.38 percent. The minimum of 2.9 percent was recorded in June 1966, while the maximum of 14.2 percent was reached in May 2020.
Click on the following link to see the values of: Unemployment rate around the world.
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* indicates monthly or quarterly data series
- Measure: percent
- Source: OECD
| Recent values | Canada: Unemployment rate, percent |
|---|---|
| 2026 May | 6.6 |
| 2026 Apr | 6.9 |
| 2026 Mar | 6.7 |
| 2026 Feb | 6.7 |
| 2026 Jan | 6.5 |
| 2025 Dec | 6.8 |
| 2025 Nov | 6.6 |
| 2025 Oct | 6.9 |
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Definition: The unemployment rate represents the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.
| Related indicators | Latest | Reference | Measure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor force | 22.84 | 2025 | million people |
| Unemployment rate | 6.91 | 2025 | percent |
| Female unemployment | 6.56 | 2025 | percent |
| Male unemployment | 7.22 | 2025 | percent |
| Youth unemployment | 12.97 | 2024 | percent |
| Labor force participation | 64.52 | 2025 | percent |
| Labor force: percent female | 47.23 | 2025 | percent |
| Female labor force participation | 61.03 | 2024 | percent |
| Male labor force participation | 69.56 | 2024 | percent |
| Hours worked | 1,685.01 | 2023 | hours |
| Self-employment | 13.15 | 2023 | percent |
| Employment | 21.10 | Q4/2025 | million employed people |
| Unemployment rate | 6.60 | 5/2026 | percent |
| Labor cost | 128.36 | Q4/2025 | index points |