January saw a considerable increase in overall employment, as 150,000 jobs (+5% of total employment) across Canada were filled in the first month of 2023.
The strong surge in hiring yielded big increases in employment for many groups (primarily workers aged 25-54), with Non-permanent Residents (NPRs)—those holding either a Study or Work Permit)—seeing significant increases in labour force engagement.
The national unemployment rate held at a historically low 5%; little changed from December 2022. Immigrants in Canada held an average unemployment rate of 5.96% at the end of 2022, reflecting the wealth of job opportunities in Canada.
In January, NPRs filled 79,000 positions. As of November 2023, international students in Canada who hold a valid study permit can now work an unlimited number of hours during school semesters, until December 31st, 2023—likely a contributor to this increase. In conjunction with NPRs now making up the biggest proportion of Canada’s population ever (per the latest census data), they now have record participation in the labour force as well.
