Saskatchewan's Unemployment Rated Second Lowest Among Provinces

Released on May 5, 2023

Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rate Reached 4.8 per cent; 5,600 Jobs Created Year-Over-Year

Newly released labour force numbers from Statistics Canada for April show strong, continued growth in Saskatchewan's economy, with 5,600 new jobs when compared to April 2022. All job growth was full time employment. 

"Saskatchewan continues to impress with even more job growth in the face of national economic uncertainty, with 5,600 new jobs and the second lowest provincial unemployment rate," Immigration and Career Training Minister Jeremy Harrison said. "With 25 months of consistent job growth, year-to-date merchandise and wholesale trade exports both up 30 per cent, and over 50 per cent increase to urban housing starts, Saskatchewan is proud of the story it has to tell of growth that works for everyone." 

Saskatchewan's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate reached 4.8 per cent, tied for the second lowest among the provinces, and down from 5.4 per year from April 2022. The national unemployment rate averaged 5.0 per cent. 

Off-reserve Indigenous employment was up 900, an increase of 1.4 per cent, marking 29 consecutive months of year-over-year increases. Off-reserve Indigenous employment reached 63,800, which was a record for the month of April. 

When compared to April 2022, private sector employment increased by 9,700, up 3.0 per cent, with full-time employment increasing by 8,800, up 1.9 per cent. 

Major year-over-year gains were reported for:

• Professional, scientific and technical services, up 5,900, an increase of 22.3 per cent; 
• Forestry, fishing, mining, oil and gas, up 2,600, an increase of 14.5 per cent; and 
• Health care and social assistance, up 2,400, an increase of 2.7 per cent. 

Earlier this week, Statistics Canada released the 2022 Real Gross Domestic Product report, showing Saskatchewan with the highest increase among provinces with a 5.7 per cent jump from 2021. Saskatchewan has also led the nation in several other key economic indicators recently. In February 2023, the province saw increases in wholesale trade by more than 30 per cent compared to February 2022, and merchandise exports increased by 9.0 per cent in March 2023 over March 2022.

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