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- calendar_today November 7, 2026
Québec Sees Decline in Unemployment Rate
According to Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey released on November 6, 2026, Québec’s unemployment rate fell to 5.7% in October—a decrease of 0.3 percentage points from the previous month. In contrast, the national unemployment rate increased by 0.2 points to reach 6.7% during the same period.
Labour Force Changes in Québec
The reduction in Québec's unemployment rate was largely attributed to a decline in the number of people actively searching for work. Québec’s labour force contracted by approximately 8,100 people in October. Although total employment in Québec changed little, there was an increase of about 7,500 positions, with most new jobs being part-time employment opportunities.
Year-over-year data shows that Québec employment dropped by around 106,000 jobs, representing a 2.3% decrease compared with October 2025.
Canadian Employment Landscape: October 2026
Across Canada, employment remained virtually unchanged, seeing a decrease of roughly 4,700 positions. The employment rate at the national level fell by 0.1 points to 60.5%.
Sector Specific Trends
- Private-sector jobs fell by 53,000.
- Public-sector employment rose by 50,000.
- Wholesale and retail trade saw a loss of 29,000 jobs.
- Construction employment increased by 16,000.
- Educational services added 15,000 new positions.
Wage Trends and Sectoral Analysis
Average hourly wages across Canada grew by 2.2% over the past year, reaching $37.89. The latest data reflects how wage increases, sector-specific job gains and losses, and shifts between public and private sector jobs are shaping the Canadian job market.
Reference and Data Sources
- Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, October 2026, released November 6, 2026.
- Government of Canada Job Bank, Québec labour-market snapshot, accessed November 7, 2026.
Summary and Outlook
Québec’s decrease in unemployment in October outpaced the national trend, which saw a rise in overall joblessness. Fewer residents actively seeking jobs contributed to Québec's improved unemployment figures, despite relatively minor increases in employment, mostly part-time. Nationally, significant shifts between private and public sector jobs, sectoral employment gains and losses, and modest wage growth characterize the latest outlook on Canada’s labour market.
Source: westislandblog.com.
