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October 02, 2026US EMPLOYMENT, SEPTEMBER 2026 Monthly change (September 2026 vs August 2026, seasonally adjusted)
US non-farm payroll employment increased 29,000 in September 2026, rising to 159.0 million persons.
The increase of 29,000 in US nonfarm payroll employment was weaker than the revised gain of 133,000 reported for August 2026.
The US unemployment rate edged up 0.1 percentage point to 4.2% in September 2026. The US unemployment rate has remained at or above 4% since June 2024.
The US participation rate increased 0.2 percentage points to 61.8% in September 2026. The US participation rate had stabilized below levels observed prior to the pandemic and had declined since the end of 2025 to the mid of 2026. The participation rate has begun to recover in recent months.
The US employment to population ratio increased 0.1 percentage points to 59.2% in September 2026. As with the participation rate, the US employment rate remains below pre-pandemic levels and had declined slightly since mid-2023. The US employment rate has been rising gradually in recent months.
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 September 2026 will be released on October 9, 2026.
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