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March 06, 2026US EMPLOYMENT, FEBRUARY 2026 Monthly change (February 2026 vs January 2026, seasonally adjusted)
US non-farm payroll employment decreased 92,000 in February 2026, declining to 158.5 million persons.
The decrease of 92,000 in US nonfarm payroll employment follows the revised gain of 126,000 reported for January 2026. Employment declined the most in health care due to strike activity in February.
The US unemployment rate edged up 0.1 percentage point to 4.4% in February 2026. The US unemployment rate has remained at or above 4% since May 2024.
The US participation rate edged down 0.1 percentage point to 62.0% in February 2026. The US participation rate had stabilized below levels observed prior to the pandemic and has declined slightly in recent months.
The US employment to population ratio edged down 0.1 percentage point to 59.3% in February 2026. As with the participation rate, the US employment rate remains below pre-pandemic levels and has declined slightly since mid-2023.
Note: Data for October 2025 were not collected due to the federal government shutdown.
Note: Canadian and US labour force statistics refer to different working-age cohorts.
Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey results for February 2026 will be released on March 13, 2025.
Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics retrieved from Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis; Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0287-01 Labour force characteristics, monthly, seasonally adjusted and trend-cycle
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