Canada Adds 54,000 Jobs in November, Unemployment at 6.5%

Canada's labor market defied expectations in November 2025, adding 54,000 jobs and pushing the unemployment rate down to 6.5 percent, Statistics Canada reported Friday. The figures marked the third consecutive month of employment gains and came ahead of the Bank of Canada's final interest rate decision of the year next week.

Economists had forecasted a modest loss of around 2,500 to 5,000 jobs, with the unemployment rate expected to climb to seven percent. Instead, the report showed a robust rebound, with total job additions reaching 181,000 from September through November. The drop in the unemployment rate stemmed partly from 26,000 fewer people entering or remaining in the labor force, as participation fell to 65.1 percent from 65.3 percent. Full-time employment dipped by 9,400 positions, but a surge of 63,000 part-time jobs drove the overall increase.

Youth employment led the gains, with workers aged 15 to 24 adding 50,000 positions after a challenging year. Their employment rate rose to 55.3 percent, up 1.7 percentage points from July's record low. The job-finding rate for the unemployed also improved slightly, reaching 19.6 percent in November compared to the previous year,...