Employment figures released by Statistics Canada show that Saskatchewan’s unemployment rate fell to 5.2 percent and a total of 10,100 jobs were obtained in November 2021.
The province’s unemployment rate is down from 6.2 percent a month ago and is below the national average of 6.0 percent, which is seasonally adjusted.
A year ago, Saskatchewan’s unemployment rate was 7.1 percent.
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Of the 10,100 jobs gained in November, 7,500 were full-time, according to StatCan.
“The Saskatchewan economy continues to show strength with the creation of more jobs and the unemployment rate continues to decline,” said Saskatchewan Minister of Immigration and Professional Training Jeremy Harrison.
“We are also working to address the current labor shortage in certain sectors through funding for skills training programs as well as the new hard-to-fill skills immigration pilot to ensure this strength continues,” added Harrison.
Indigenous off-reservation employment increased 11.8 percent, or 6,300 jobs during 12 consecutive months of year-on-year increases, all of which were full-time jobs.
Indigenous youth employment increased 4.6 percent or 400 jobs during eight consecutive months of year-on-year increases.
A government press release added that significant year-over-year gains were reported for wholesale and retail, up to 11,100 jobs; and health and social assistance, up to 6,200 jobs.
During the same time, the private sector increased 7,200 jobs or 2.3 percent.
Women’s employment also increased by 7,200 jobs or 2.9 percent, ahead of men’s employment, which grew by 0.9 percent, and youth employment increased by 4,300 jobs or the 6.0 percent.
Saskatchewan’s youth employment rate was 9.4 percent, the third lowest among provinces and below the national average of 10.5 percent, seasonally adjusted.
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While the Saskatchewan Party boasts of the employment figures, the Official Opposition says Saskatchewan is “behind the nation when it comes to pandemic job recovery.”
According to data from Statistics Canada, the job recovery from the Saskatchewan pandemic is -1.8%.
“We are one of only two provinces that has not yet recovered all the jobs lost during the pandemic and yet we have a Sask. Labor Minister of the Party, who is at risk of being injured by slapping himself on the back too hard, “Aleana Young, critic of the opposition for jobs and the economy, said in a statement.
“The Sask. The party’s failure to control the fourth wave left us with the worst of both worlds – the worst job loss rate since the pandemic began and the highest COVID death rate in the country, ”Young added.
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Reference-globalnews.ca