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September 18, 2025EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, JULY 2025 Monthly (July 2025 vs June 2025, seasonally adjusted regular beneficiaries)
In July 2025, there were 22,510 Nova Scotians in receipt of regular employment insurance benefits (seasonally adjusted). Nova Scotia's seasonally adjusted regular employment insurance usage decreased by 60 (-0.3%) from revised June results to July.
There were 551,870 Canadians that received regular employment insurance benefits in July 2025 (seasonally adjusted), an increase of 6,600 (+1.2%) from the revised June 2025 value.
Six provinces reported higher employment insurance usage in July, led by Manitoba. Compared to June 2025, the four Atlantic provinces reported lower employment insurance usage with the fastest decline in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The number of employment insurance beneficiaries amounted to 4.0% of the labour force in Nova Scotia in July 2025. Nationally, the share of beneficiaries was 2.4% of the labour force. Newfoundland and Labrador had the largest share of beneficiaries of the labour force, while British Columbia had the lowest.
Year-over-year (July 2025 vs July 2024)
Compared to June 2024, Nova Scotia's employment insurance usage rose 0.6% (+130). National employment insurance usage increased 12.8% (+62,550) compared to July 2024. Eight provinces reported higher employment insurance compared to one year ago, with the fastest rise in Québec. New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador were the only provinces to report lower employment insurance usage over July 2024.
Use of employment insurance (as a share of the labour force) was lowest for youth (15-24) and highest for workers age 55 and over. Male use of employment insurance was higher as a share of the labour force than female use of employment insurance for all age cohorts in July 2025. Compared to one year ago, employment insurance usage as a share of the labour force was down for those aged 15-24 and 55 and over as well as for males. Female employment insurance usage as a share of the labour force was down for youth.
The year-over-year increase in employment insurance usage reflected higher usage for core aged workers, partially offset by declines among youth and older workers for both males and females.
Comparing unadjusted regular beneficiaries for July 2025 against July 2024, most counties reported higher employment insurance usage with the fastest growth in Lunenburg county. The fastest declines were in Victoria, Inverness, and Antigonish counties.
By occupation, employment insurance beneficiaries were more likely to be in technical trades/transportation, education/law/social services/community/government, manufacturing/utilities, or general trades. The largest increases (in percentage terms) were among middle management occupations in engineering/architecture/science and finance/business/administration, as well as unclassified occupations. The fastest decline among occupations was agriculture middle management positions and harvesting/landscaping/natural resources occupations.
Year-to-date (January-July 2025 vs January-July 2024)
Compared to the first seven months of 2024, Nova Scotia's employment insurance usage increased 2.1%. National employment insurance usage increased 9.5%, year-to-date, with the fastest rise in Ontario. All provinces except Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick reported higher employment insurance usage year-to-date.
As a share of the labour force, employment insurance usage increased for older workers and males aged 15-24 and 55 and over in the first seven months of 2025. There was a slight decline in employment insurance usage as a share of the labour force among male core-aged workers and females aged 15-24.
Year-to-date employment insurance usage was higher for core-aged and older workers of both sexes, partially offset by lower usage among youth. Employment insurance use among those aged 15-24 fell faster for females.
Comparing the first seven months of 2025 with the same period in 2024, employment insurance usage declined in Queens, Pictou, Guysborough, and Antigonish counties along with all four counties on Cape Breton Island. Employment insurance usage increased the most (in percentage terms) in Lunenburg, Halifax, Yarmouth, and Digby counties.
Year-to-date employment insurance usage increased across most occupational categories with the fastest increase for occupations in art/culture/recreation/sport and unclassified occupations (though those remain a small number). The largest declines were among occupations in sales/service support as well as representations/personal services, health occupations, and harvesting/landscaping/natural resources.
Source: Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0011-01 Employment insurance beneficiaries (regular benefits) by province and territory, monthly, seasonally adjusted; Table 14-10-0323-01 Employment insurance beneficiaries by census division, monthly, unadjusted for seasonality; Table 14-10-0456-01 Employment insurance beneficiaries (regular benefits) by province, territory and occupation, monthly, seasonally adjusted; Table 14-10-0287-01 Labour force characteristics, monthly, seasonally adjusted and trend-cycle, last 5 months
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