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Thomas StorringDirector – Economics and Statistics
Tel: 902-424-2410Email: thomas.storring@novascotia.ca

December 18, 2024
EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE, OCTOBER 2024

Monthly (October 2024 vs September 2024, seasonally adjusted regular beneficiaries)

In October 2024, there were 22,340 Nova Scotians in receipt of regular employment insurance benefits (seasonally adjusted). Nova Scotia's seasonally adjusted regular employment insurance usage increased by 290 (+1.3%) from September to October . 

There were 484,680 Canadians that received regular employment insurance benefits in October 2024 (seasonally adjusted), an increase of 610 (+0.1%) from September 2024. 

When compared to September 2024, all provinces except Québec and Ontario reported rising employment insurance usage. New Brunswick reported the largest increase (+2.4%), rebounding from a notable decline in September. 

The number of employment insurance beneficiaries amounted to 4.1% of the labour force in Nova Scotia in October 2024. Nationally, the share of beneficiaries was 2.2% of the labour force. Newfoundland and Labrador had the largest share of beneficiaries of the labour force, while British Columbia had the lowest. 

Year-to-date (January-October 2024 vs January-October 2023)

Comparing the first ten months of 2024 to the same period in 2023, Nova Scotia's employment insurance usage was up by 1.5%. National employment insurance usage was up by 12.6% with gains in eight provinces. The largest gain in employment insurance usage was in Ontario. Only Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick reported lower employment insurance usage compared to the same period in 2023. 

Year-over-year (October 2024 vs October 2023, seasonally adjusted regular beneficiaries)

Use of employment insurance (as a share of the labour force) was lower for workers aged 15-24 and 25-54, while employment insurance use was higher for workers aged 55 and older. Across all age cohorts, male use of employment insurance was higher as a share of the labour force than female use of employment insurance. 

Use of employment insurance was down for males aged 15 to 24 as well as for females aged 25-54. There was little change in use of employment insurance by females aged 15-24.  All other age cohorts had higher employment insurance usage when compared to October 2023.

Comparing unadjusted regular beneficiaries for October 2024 against October 2023, use of employment insurance increased for all counties except Lunenburg (decline) and Hants (unchanged).  Kings county reported the fastest rise.

By occupation, technical trades and transportation officers/controllers reported the greatest employment insurance on average through the first ten months of 2024.  There was also significant employment insurance use by general trades as well as helpers, labourers and other transport operators.  Sales and service support workers as well as sales/service representatives and personal services workers also reported greater employment insurance use.  Among broader occupational categories (for which detailed occupations were unavailable), higher employment insurance usage was reported among workers in manufacturing and utilities along with education, law, social services, community and government occupations. 

On a year-to-date basis (January-October 2024 vs January-October 2023), employment insurance usage grew fastest for professional occupations in natural and applied science as well as among senior management and legislative occupations.  The largest year-to-date percentage decline in employment insurance use was among unclassified occupations as well as art, culture, recreation and sport and natural resources.

Source: Statistics Canada.  Table  14-10-0011-01   Employment insurance beneficiaries (regular benefits) by province and territory, monthly, seasonally adjustedTable  14-10-0323-01   Employment insurance beneficiaries by census division, monthly, unadjusted for seasonalityTable 14-10-0456-01  Employment insurance beneficiaries (regular benefits) by province, territory and occupation, monthly, seasonally adjustedTable 14-10-0287-01  Labour force characteristics, monthly, seasonally adjusted and trend-cycle, last 5 months



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