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July 08, 2022LABOUR MARKET TRENDS, JUNE 2022 Labour force survey results reflect the period from June 12 to June 18.
Ages 15+ (June 2022 vs May 2022, seasonally adjusted)
Nova Scotia's seasonally adjusted employment increased 100 (+0.02%) from May 2022 to 479,500 in June 2022.
The change in employment was attributable to higher part-time employment (+3,300) offset by an almost equal reduction in full-time employment (-3,200). These changes include variations in hours within the same job.
Nova Scotia’s labour force increased by 1,700 (+0.3%) to 515,500 in June 2022. This is another record for the highest labour force on record (eclipsing May's all time high).
With employment stable and labour force rising, Nova Scotia's unemployment rate rose from 6.7% in May 2022 to 7.0% in June 2022.
Nova Scotia's labour force participation rate was up slightly (+0.1 percentage points) to 61.5% in June 2022. The employment rate was down 0.1 percentage points to 57.2% in June 2022.
Ages 15+ (June 2022 vs June 2021, seasonally adjusted)
In June of 2021, Nova Scotia only just starting to ease tighter restrictions that had generated significant employment loss in May of that year. Compared with June of 2021, Nova Scotia's population over the age of 15 had increased by 18,900 while the labour force grew by 12,100 and employment increased by 19,800. The unemployment rate decreased by 1.7 percentage points while the participation rate rose by 0.1 percentage points. The employment rate increased by 1.1 percentage points.
Ages 15+ (January-June 2022 vs January-June 2021, seasonally adjusted)
Compared with the first half of 2021, Nova Scotia's population has averaged 16,100 higher for January to June of 2022. The labour force was up by 7,600 and employment increased by 17,200. The unemployment rate decreased by 2.0 percentage points while the participation rate declined by 0.3 percentage points. The employment rate increased by 1.0 percentage points.
Age Cohorts (June 2022 vs May 2022, seasonally adjusted)
Among youth (ages 15-24), employment decreased by 600 (-0.9%) while the labour force increased by 600 (+0.8%). The increase in the labour force resulted in the youth participation rate increasing 0.5 percentage points to 68.7% while the contraction in employment brought the employment rate down 0.7 percentage points to 59.4%. The decline in employment and rise in labour force moved the youth unemployment rate up 1.5 percentage points to 13.5%.
The population aged 25-54 makes up the largest part of the labour force. In the core age group, employment decreased by 500 (-0.2%) and the labour force grew by 1,000 (+0.3%). The core aged unemployment rate was up 0.5 percentage points to 5.6% in June. The core aged participation rate increased 0.1 percentage points to 86.4% while the core aged employment rate slipped 0.4 percentage points to 81.5%.
Older workers (aged 55+) reported increases for both labour force (+100 or +0.1%) and employment (+1,200 or +1.0%). Since the percentage increase in employment was faster than in labour force, the older worker unemployment rate fell 0.9 percentage points to 6.6%. The older worker participation rate was unchanged at 34.5% and the employment rate for older workers increased to 32.3%.
Males and Females (Ages 15+, June 2022 vs May 2022, seasonally adjusted)
The monthly employment change reflected a decline among males (-2,600 or -1.1%) offset by rising employment among females (+2,700 or +1.1%). The male labour force was up 600 (+0.2%) while female labour force grew by 1,200 (+0.5%).
The male unemployment rate rose by 1.1 percentage points to 8.6% as employment contracted while labour force grew. The female unemployment rate fell 0.6 percentage points to 5.3% in June 2022 as employment rose faster than labour force.
Male participation rates were unchanged at 64.6% in June 2022. Female participation rates were up 0.2 percentage points to 58.6%. The employment rate for males was down 0.8 percentage points to 59.0% while the female employment rate was up 0.6 percentage points to 55.5%.
Overall, last month's employment changes offset employment gains among older workers with employment declines among younger and core aged workers. Employment gains for females were offset be employment declines for males. The gain in labour force was somewhat concentrated among core aged workers and females, though there were also gains for younger workers, older workers and males as well.
Age and sex cohorts (January-June 2022 vs January-June 2021, seasonally adjusted)
On average over the first half of 2022, employment and labour force gains were reported in each age cohort, though growth among youth was more modest while employment growth for males outpaced female employment gains.
Class of Worker (June 2022 vs May 2022, seasonally adjusted)
The June 2022 employment change reflected gains for private sector employees (+2,100 or +0.7%) and public sector employees (+2,900 or +2.3%) while self-employment (-4,800 or -8.1%) contracted to offset the gains.
Class of Worker (June 2022 vs June 2021, seasonally adjusted)
Compared with period of easing restrictions in June 2021, there were substantial gains in employment for private sector workers (+13,200 or +4.7%), public sector workers (+11,400 or +9.7%) while self employment was down (-4,600 or -7.8%).
Industry of Employment (June 2022 vs May 2022, seasonally adjusted)
The employment change from May to June reflected notable employment declines in forestry, fishing and mining as well as in business support (which includes call centres). These were smaller declines noted in utilities; wholesale and retail trade; transportation; information, culture and recreation; and public administration There were notable gains in employment for accomodation and food services, health care and social assistance, education, professional and technical services, agriculture, manufacturing and construction.
Industry of Employment (June 2022 vs June 2021, seasonally adjusted)
Over the last 12 months, employment has risen across almost all industries with the exceptions of forestry/fishing/mining, manfuacturing, wholesale and retail trade, transportation and business support (including call centres).
Hours worked and employment (January-June 2022 vs January-June 2021, unadjusted)
Changes in unadjusted hours worked show different variations than changes in seasonally adjusted employment (comparing the average over the half of 2022 with the same period in 2021). Overall employment and hours were each up by 3.7%. The largest year-to-date contractions in employment were in agriculture as well as in forestry, fishing and mining. However, the losses in hours worked for these industries were more modest. The year-to-date increases in employment were strongest in professional and technical services as well as in business support (call centres). In these industries, hours worked grew even faster than employment.
Average weekly earnings (unadjusted, both full time and part time, January-June 2022 vs January-June 2021)
Average weekly earnings increased by 4.1% from January-June 2021 to January-June 2022. Earnings were up by across most industries, with the exceptions of wholesale/retail trade and public administration. The fastest gains in average weekly earnings were in forestry/fishing/mining, professional and technical services and business support (which includes call centres).
Average weekly earnings across all employees were $1,000.63 in June 2022. The highest average weekly earnings (both full and part time employees) were reported in forestry/fishing/mining, utilities, professional/technical services and public administration. The lowest average weekly earnings were in accommodation/food, wholesale/retail, information/culture/recreation and agriculture.
Regions (June 2022 vs June 2021, unadjusted 3 month moving average)
Compared with June 2021, employment and labour force each increased in Halifax, Cape Breton and Annapolis Valley while each decreased in the North Shore and Southern Nova Scotia regions. The unemployment rate declined in Cape Breton, Halifax and the Annapolis Valley while it went up in the North Shore and Southern Nova Scotia economic regions.
Participation rates were up in Cape Breton and the Annapolis Valley but down in the North Shore, Halifax and Southern Nova Scotia economic regions.
Regions (January-June 2022 vs January-June 2021, unadjusted 3 month moving average)
Comparing the average over the first half of 2022 with the same months of 2021, labour force was down for the North Shore, Southern Nova Scotia and Halifax economic regions. Labour force grew in Cape Breton and the Annapolis Valley. Employment was up for Cape Breton, the Annapolis Valley and Halifax while there were declines in the North Shore and Southern Nova Scotia regions.
Provincial Comparisons (June 2022 vs May 2022, seasonally adjusted)
Canada's employment decreased by 43,200 (-0.2%) from May to June, following on four months of gains as many restrictions to contain the Omicron variant of COVID-19 have been removed. The only employment gains were led by Prince Edward Island and Manitoba. Employment declined in five provinces, led Newfoundland and Labrador.
The labour force contracted for Canada (-0.5%) with declines in all provinces except Nova Scotia and British Columbia. The largest decreasess in labour force were reported in Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick.
Provincial Comparisons (June 2022 vs June 2021, seasonally adjusted)
Compared with June 2021, Nova Scotia's employment was up 4.3% while labour force expanded by 2.4%. National employment was up 4.2% while labour force increased by 1.3%. All provinces reported employment gains over thiis period with the fastest growth in Prince Edward Island and the slowest in Quebec. Labour force was up for seven provinces, led by Prince Edward Island. There were declines in New Brunswick and Quebec (Manitoba's labour force was unchanged).
The national unemployment rate was 4.9% in June 2022, down from 5.1 % in May 2022 and 7.6% in June 2021. This was another record low unemployment rate for Canada in the monthly Labour Force Survey results that started in 1976. Manitoba and Saskatchewan had the lowest unemployment rates while Prince Edward Island set a new all time low (4.9%) for the monthly Labour Force Survey records. Newfoundland and Labrador reported the highest unemployment rate at 9.9%.
The national participation rate was 64.9% in June 2022. The highest participation rates were in Saskatchewan and Alberta while the lowest were in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The national employment rate was 61.7% in June 2022. Alberta reported the highest employment rate while Newfoundland and Labrador reported the lowest.
Census Metropolitan Areas (June 2022, seasonally adjusted 3 month moving average)
The Halifax unemployment rate was 4.6% in the June 2022 three month moving average. This was similar to other Census Metropolitan Areas, but lower than in the rest of Nova Scotia (8.6%). In central and western provinces, unemployment rates in Census Metropolitan Areas are similar to or higher than unemployment rates outside CMAs. In the Atlantic Provinces unemployment rates are higher outside CMAs.
Halifax's participation rate was 67.7% in the June 2022 three month moving average while participation rates were 55.9% across the rest of the province.
Halifax reported an employment rate of 64.6% in the June 2022 three month moving average while the employment rate was 51.1% outside the city.
Sources: Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0036-01 Actual hours worked by industry, monthly, unadjusted for seasonality; Table 14-10-0063-01 Employee wages by industry, monthly, unadjusted for seasonality; Table 14-10-0287-01 Labour force characteristics, monthly, seasonally adjusted and trend-cycle, last 5 months; Table 14-10-0380-01 Labour force characteristics, three-month moving average, seasonally adjusted; Table 14-10-0387-01 Labour force characteristics, three-month moving average, unadjusted for seasonality, last 5 months; Table 14-10-0355-01 Employment by industry, monthly, seasonally adjusted and unadjusted, and trend-cycle, last 5 months (x 1,000); Table 14-10-0288-01 Employment by class of worker, monthly, seasonally adjusted and unadjusted, last 5 months (x 1,000); Table: 14-10-0380-02 Labour force characteristics, three month moving average, seasonally adjusted (x 1,000)
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