Nova Scotia Labour Force Survey

Labour Force Survey, October 2019: Nova Scotia Highlights
 

  • Nova Scotia’s labour force increased by 5,300 (1.1%) from 503,000 in September to 508,300 in October. Compared to a year ago, the labour force increased by 13,000 (+2.6%) due to the 1.2% growth of working-age population (aged 15+) and rising labour participation rate (+0.9 percentage points).

Labour Force Breakdown by Age and Employment Status, October 2019

  • In the last month, employment increased by 600 (+0.1%). Compared to a year ago, employment increased by 9,800 (+2.1%).
     
    • The top contributing sector of the employment expansion in the last year is Health care and social assistance (+5,600, +8.1%).
  • The monthly unemployment rate was 8.0%, up by 0.8 percentage points from September and up by 0.4 percentage points from October 2018. The significant rise in labour force outpaced employment growth, contributing to the rise in the unemployment rate.

Change of Employment by Groups Oct 2018 to Oct 2019 and Labour Market Indicators Oct 2018, Sep 2019 & Oct 2019

Nova Scotia Labour Force Annual Update
 

Labour force

493,100 in Jan-Dec 2018
490,100 in Jan-Dec 2017
0.6% change

In 2018, the labour force increased by 3,000 (+0.6%) compared to 2017.
 

Employment

455,900 in Jan-Dec 2018
449,000 in Jan-Dec 2017
1.5% change

Overall employment increased by 6,900 (+1.5%), spurred by the 11,100 (+3.0%) increase in full-time employment.

Youth (aged 15-24), core-aged workers (aged 25-54) and older workers (aged 55 and over) experienced employment expansion.
 

Employment full-time

375,200 in Jan-Dec 2018
364,100 in Jan-Dec 2017
3.0% change

Employment part-time

80,600 in Jan-Dec 2018
84,900 in Jan-Dec 2017
-5.1% change

Unemployment

37,200 in Jan-Dec 2018
41,000 in Jan-Dec 2017
-9.3% change

Unemployment decreased by 3,800 (-9.3%) as employment expanded faster than the labour force. As a result, the unemployment rate decreased from 8.4% in 2017 to 7.5% in 2018.
 

Unemployment Rate

7.5% in Jan-Dec 2018
8.4% in Jan-Dec 2017
-0.9  percentage point change
 

Participation Rate

61.7% in Jan-Dec 2018
61.8% in Jan-Dec 2017
-0.1  percentage point change

 

Employment Rate

57.1% in Jan-Dec 2018
56.7% in Jan-Dec 2017
0.4  percentage point change

As the employment expansion outpaced the population expansion, the employment rate increased by 0.4 percentage points to 57.1% in 2018.

Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, CANSIM 282-0002 Seasonally Adjusted, Both Sexes, Ages 15+
Note: The sum of individual categories may not always add up to the total as a result of rounding.

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