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May 05, 2023LABOUR MARKET TRENDS, APRIL 2023 April labour force survey results reflect the period from April 9 to 15, 2023.
Ages 15+ (April 2023 vs March 2023, seasonally adjusted)
Nova Scotia's seasonally adjusted employment increased 1,300 (+0.3%) to 497,300 in April 2023. This increase follows after 2 months of decline in employment.
The change in employment was attributable to an increase in full-time employment (+4,800) and a smaller decrease in part-time employment (-3,500). Note that changes in full-time and part-time employment can also reflect changing hours for the same job.
Nova Scotia’s labour force increased by 5,000 (1.0%) to 530,800 in April 2023, the largest labour force on record for the province.
With labour force growing faster than employment , Nova Scotia's unemployment rate was up 0.6 percentage points to 6.3% in April 2023. This is still nearly a historic low unemployment rate in modern LFS data that starts in 1976. Annual unemployment rates were lower in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Nova Scotia's labour force participation rate was up 0.4 percentage points to 61.9% in April 2023. The employment rate was unchanged at 58.0% in April 2023.
Ages 15+ (April 2023 vs April 2022, seasonally adjusted)
Compared with April of 2022, Nova Scotia's population over the age of 15 had increased by 22,700 (+2.7%) while the labour force grew by 11,900 (+2.3%) and employment increased by 9,700 (+2.0%). The unemployment rate increased by 0.3 percentage points with the participation rate down 0.3 percentage points and the employment rate down 0.4 percentage points.
Ages 15+ (January-April 2023 vs January-April 2022, seasonally adjusted)
Compared with January-April of 2022, Nova Scotia's population over the age of 15 had increased by 22,200 (+2.7%) while the labour force grew by 13,300 (+2.6%) and employment increased by 16,900 (+3.5%). The unemployment rate decreased by 0.9 percentage points (after rounding) with the participation rate unchanged and the employment rate up 0.5 percentage points.
Age Cohorts (April 2023 vs March 2023, seasonally adjusted)
Among youth (ages 15-24), employment increased by 1,100 (+1.7%) and the labour force increased 200 (0.3%). With a larger increase in employment than the labour force, the youth unemployment rate was down 1.2 percentage point to 10.8% in April. The youth participation rate was unchanged at 67.2% and the youth employment rate was up 0.8 percentage points to 59.9%.
The population aged 25-54 makes up the largest part of the labour force. In the core age group, employment was down by 400 (-0.1%) while the labour force increased by 4,500 (+1.4%). Because employment declined and the labour force grew , the core aged unemployment rate was up 1.5 percentage points to 5.8% in April 2023. The core aged participation rate increased 1.0 percentage points to 88.2% while the core aged employment rate decreased 0.3 percentage points to 83.1%.
Older workers (aged 55+) reported small increases in both labour force (+200 or +0.2%) and employment (+600 or +0.5%). With labour force increasing less than employment, the older worker unemployment rate decreased 0.3 percentage points to 5.1%. The older worker participation rate was unchanged at 33.7% and the employment rate for older workers was up 0.1 percentage points to at 32.0%.
Males and Females (Ages 15+, April 2023 vs March 2023, seasonally adjusted)
Monthly employment increased by 1,200 (+0.5%) for males while the labour force increased 1,900 (+0.7%). With a larger increase in labour force than employment, the male unemployment rate increased 0.2 percentage points to 7.1% in April. The male participation rate was up 0.3 percentage points to 64.1% and the male employment rate was up 0.2 percentage points to 59.6%.
Females reported an increase in labour force (+3,000 or +1.1%) and no change in employment. With the growing labour force and static employment, the female unemployment rate increased 1.1 percentage point to 5.6% in April. Female participation rates were up 0.5 percentage points to 59.8% and the female employment rate was down 0.1 percentage points to 56.5%.
Overall, last month's labour force gain was largely in core-aged workers. Employment gains were mostly in youth and older workers and male workers.
Age and sex cohorts (April 2023 vs April 2022, seasonally adjusted)
Compared with April 2022, labour force and employment growth was concentrated among core aged workers (whose population is also growing faster than others). Youth (15-24) and older workers (55+) populations grew but had lower labour force and employment. Unemployment was down for all cohorts except core aged workers and males. Female employment and labour force gains have accounted for all increases over the past year.
Age and sex cohorts (January-April 2023 vs January-April 2022, seasonally adjusted)
Comparing the first four months of 2023 with same months last year, labour force and employment gains are mostly among core aged workers. Youth labour force is rising as employment has small decrease, increasing unemployment. Among older workers, employment has risen while the labour force declined. Although there were similar population increases, the labour force and employment among females has increased more than among males.
Class of Worker and Industry (April 2023 vs March 2023, seasonally adjusted)
The April 2023 employment change reflected small increases in private sector workers (+100 or 0.0%), public sector workers (+600 or +0.5%) and self-employment (+500 or +0.9%).
Classified by industry, the employment change from March to April reflected increases in wholesale/retail trade, agriculture, health/social assistance, and finance/insurance/real estate and employment declining construction, professional/technical services, education, and personal/repair services.
Class of Worker and Industry (April 2023 vs April 2022, seasonally adjusted)
Compared to April 2022, there was a large gain in employment for private sector workers (+12,300 or +4.0%) and small declines in public sector workers (-1,000 or -0.8%) and self-employment (-1,700 or -2.9%).
Over the last 12 months, employment by industry has risen most for wholesale/retail, information/culture/recreation, and accommodation/food services. There were employment losses in business support services and all the goods sectors except manufacturing.
Class of Worker and Industry (January-April 2023 vs January-April 2022, seasonally adjusted)
The average employment levels for January-April 2023 compared to January-April 2022 increased for private sector (+18,000 or +6.0%) and public sector (+1,200 or +1.0%) and decreased for self-employed (-2,300 or -3.9%). The first four months average employment had most notable gains in information/culture/recreation, personal/repair, public administration, professional/technical and wholesale/retail trade. Lower employment was in business support services, agriculture, utilities, and transportation/warehousing.
Hours worked and employment (April 2023, unadjusted)
A larger share of workers in construction, manufacturing, agriculture, and forestry/fishing/mining worked more than 40 hours per week in April 2023.
Note that some data on those working few hours in forestry, fishing, and mining and agriculture were suppressed.
Average weekly earnings (unadjusted, both full time and part time, April 2023 vs April 2022)
Average weekly earnings increased by 4.5% from April 2022 to April 2023. The fastest gains in average weekly earnings were in wholesale/retail, agriculture, manufacturing, and information/culture/recreation. Average weekly wages were down in forestry, fishing and mining, utilities, and business support services.
The increase in Nova Scotia's all items consumer price index was 4.6% from March 2022 to March 2023.
Average weekly earnings across all employees were $1,057.06 in April 2023. The highest average weekly earnings (both full and part time employees) were reported in public administration, professional/technical services, utilities, and forestry/fishing/mining. The lowest average weekly earnings were in accommodation/food services, business support services, agriculture, wholesale/retail trade, and personal/repair services.
Average weekly earnings (unadjusted, both full time and part time, January-April 2023 vs January-April 2022)
Average weekly earnings for the first four months of the year were 5.4% higher than same months last year. Agriculture, wholesale/retail, business support/call centres, and finance/insurance/real estate reported the fastest growth. Average wages in information/culture/recreation, forestry/fishing/mining and transportation/warehousing reported declines.
Regions (April 2023 vs April 2022, unadjusted 3 month moving average)
Compared with April 2022, the labour force and employment increase was concentrated in Halifax. North Shore, Annapolis Valley and Southern all reported increase in both labour force and employment compared to April 2022. Cape Breton labour force and employment were down compared to last year.
Unemployment rates declined for Cape Breton, North Shore and Southern while increasing in Annapolis Valley and being unchanged for Halifax. The participation rate only increased for Southern and Halifax. The employment rate was up in Halifax, unchanged for Southern and down for Cape Breton, North Shore and Annapolis Valley.
Regions (January-April 2023 vs January-April 2022, unadjusted 3 month moving average)
For the first four months of 2023, Cape Breton and North Shore had declines in both labour force and employment. Increases in employment and labour force were concentrated in Halifax. Employment and labour force were up in Annapolis Valley and Southern compared to January-April 2022.
Provincial Comparisons (seasonally adjusted)
Canada's labour force grew by 0.2% from March to April. Nova Scotia's labour force was up 1.0%. Prince Edward Island reported the fastest labour force gains over this period. Manitoba, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador reported declines in labour force over the last month.
Compared with April 2022, national labour force was up 1.8% (2.3% in Nova Scotia). The fastest increase was in Prince Edward Island and Alberta while Saskatchewan reported the slowest growth.
Canada's employment had an increase of 41,000 (+0.2%) from March to April. Prince Edward Island reported the largest employment gains in April. Manitoba reported the largest decline in April .
Compared with April 2022, Nova Scotia's employment was up 2.0% in April 2023, similar to the national gain of 2.1%. The largest increases were in Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador and Alberta and the smallest increases were in Saskatchewan and British Columbia.
The national unemployment rate was 5.0% in April 2023, unchanged from March 2023 and down from 5.3% in April 2022. Quebec had the lowest unemployment rate while Newfoundland and Labrador reported the highest unemployment rate.
The national participation rate was 65.6% in April 2023. The highest participation rates were in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Prince Edward Island while the lowest was in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The national employment rate was 62.4% in April 2023. Alberta reported the highest employment rate while Newfoundland and Labrador reported the lowest.
Census Metropolitan Areas (April 2023, seasonally adjusted 3 month moving average)
The Halifax unemployment rate was 4.7% in the seasonally adjusted April 2023 three month moving average. This was below the national average, with the rest of Nova Scotia above at 7.2%. In central and western provinces, unemployment rates in Census Metropolitan Areas are similar to or higher than unemployment rates outside CMAs. In the Atlantic Provinces unemployment rates are typically higher outside CMAs.
Halifax's participation rate was 68.5% in the seasonally adjusted April 2023 three month moving average while participation rates were 55.7% across the rest of the province.
Halifax reported an employment rate of 65.3% in the seasonally adjusted April 2023 three month moving average while the employment rate was 51.6% outside the city.
Sources: Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0036-01 Actual hours worked by industry, monthly, unadjusted for seasonality; Table 14-10-0063-01 Employee wages by industry, monthly, unadjusted for seasonality; Table 14-10-0287-01 Labour force characteristics, monthly, seasonally adjusted and trend-cycle, last 5 months; Table 14-10-0380-01 Labour force characteristics, three-month moving average, seasonally adjusted; Table 14-10-0387-01 Labour force characteristics, three-month moving average, unadjusted for seasonality, last 5 months; Table 14-10-0355-01 Employment by industry, monthly, seasonally adjusted and unadjusted, and trend-cycle, last 5 months (x 1,000); Table 14-10-0288-01 Employment by class of worker, monthly, seasonally adjusted and unadjusted, last 5 months (x 1,000); Table: 14-10-0380-02 Labour force characteristics, three month moving average, seasonally adjusted (x 1,000)
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