Features Workforce Statistics
Jobless rate falls to another record low as labour market remains tight

Statistics Canada says the jobless rate fell in April to another record low as employment was little changed for the month with a gain of 15,300 jobs.

The unemployment rate came in at 5.2 per cent for April compared with the previous record low of 5.3 per cent set in March.

The drop in the rate came as the number of jobs in professional, scientific and technical services rose by 15,000 in April and the public administration category gained 17,000.

The number of people working in retail trade fell by 22,000 in April and those working in construction dropped by 21,000.

Statistics Canada says a number of signs point to an increasingly tight labour market in recent months including a drop in the number of part-time workers that would prefer full-time work.

The involuntary part-time employment rate fell to its lowest level on record at 15.7 per cent in April.