Released on February 4, 2022
3,900 New Jobs Gained in January
Today, job numbers released by Statistics Canada for January 2022 show Saskatchewan added 24,600 jobs, an increase of 4.6 per cent, compared to January 2021. 21,100 of these were full-time jobs. The month-to-month seasonally adjusted employment increased by 3,900, an increase of 0.7 per cent and the highest among provinces in terms of percentage change.
The unemployment rate fell to 5.5 per cent, down from 7.2 per cent a year ago, and well below the national average of 6.5 per cent (seasonally adjusted).
"Saskatchewan's economy continues to show resilience with more job gains and a lower unemployment rate," Immigration and Career Training Minister Jeremy Harrison said. "While other provinces decided to lockdown in the face of the Omicron wave, Saskatchewan stayed open. As we transition to living with COVID-19 and remaining restrictions are lifted we expect Saskatchewan job creators and entrepreneurs to continue to create opportunity for all people in our great province."
Off-reserve Aboriginal employment hit a record high for January at 56,900 jobs, of which 45,000 were full-time jobs - also a record high for the month of January. Employment was up by 4,700 (+9.0 per cent) for 14 consecutive months of year-over-year increases.
Major year-over-year gains were reported for wholesale and retail trade up 8,000 jobs and construction up 6,500 jobs. Over the same period, the private sector was up 15,600 jobs (+5.0 per cent), female employment increased by 9,400 jobs (+3.7 per cent), and youth (aged 15-24) employment was up 9,900 jobs (+14.9 per cent).
Saskatchewan's youth unemployment rate was 9.8 per cent, the fourth lowest among the provinces and well below the national average of 13.6 per cent (seasonally adjusted).
In January 2022, Saskatchewan's seasonally adjusted employment of 574,600 (100.1 per cent) exceeded its pre-COVID employment level of 574,100 in February 2020.
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For more information, contact:
Uduak Bassey
Immigration and Career Training
Regina
Phone: 306-530-6917
Email: uduak.bassey@gov.sk.ca