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May 08, 2026US EMPLOYMENT, APRIL 2026 Monthly change (April 2026 vs March 2026, seasonally adjusted)
US non-farm payroll employment increased 115,000 in April 2026, rising to 158.7 million persons.
The increase of 115,000 in US nonfarm payroll employment was weaker than the revised gain of 185,000 reported for March 2026.
The US unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.3% in April 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 61.8% in April 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 59.1% in April 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.
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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