Labour Market Bulletin - Newfoundland and Labrador: October 2022
This Labour Market Bulletin provides an analysis of Labour Force Survey results for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, including the regions of Avalon Peninsula, South Coast-Burin Peninsula and Notre Dame-Central Bonavista Bay, and West Coast-Northern Peninsula-Labrador.
Overview
In October, the unemployment rate moved higher as the size of the labour force grew faster than employment. Compared to a year ago, the province has added 12,500 jobs, lowering the unemployment rate by four percentage points. The rate of employment growth over the past year (+5.7%) was the second highest among all provinces.
| Seasonally adjusted monthly data |
Oct 2022 | Sep 2022 | Oct 2021 | Monthly variation | Yearly variation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | ||||
| Population 15 + ('000) | 449.9 | 449.6 | 445.5 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 4.4 | 1.0 |
| Labour force ('000) | 259.4 | 253.5 | 256.7 | 5.9 | 2.3 | 2.7 | 1.1 |
| Employment ('000) | 232.6 | 229.3 | 220.1 | 3.3 | 1.4 | 12.5 | 5.7 |
| Full-time ('000) | 194.9 | 193.4 | 186.8 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 8.1 | 4.3 |
| Part-time ('000) | 37.7 | 35.9 | 33.3 | 1.8 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 13.2 |
| Unemployment ('000) | 26.8 | 24.2 | 36.6 | 2.6 | 10.7 | -9.8 | -26.8 |
| Unemployment rate (%) | 10.3 | 9.5 | 14.3 | 0.8 | - | -4.0 | - |
| Participation rate (%) | 57.7 | 56.4 | 57.6 | 1.3 | - | 0.1 | - |
| Employment rate (%) | 51.7 | 51.0 | 49.4 | 0.7 | - | 2.3 | - |
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding
Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey - Table 14-10-0287
Between October of 2020 and January of 2022, employment and the unemployment rate were generally steady. The one notable exception was in February of 2021, when COVID-19 cases increased considerably and brought enhanced restrictions and closures. Since February of 2022, employment levels have been notably higher. Much of this increase can be attributed to the lifting of public health restrictions. Over the past six months, the unemployment rate has remained near 10% as employment and labour force size have generally moved in line with each other.
Show data table: Newfoundland and Labrador monthly employment and unemployment rate
| Unemployment rate (%) | Employment ('000) | |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2020 | 13.1 | 223.1 |
| Nov 2020 | 13.0 | 222.0 |
| Dec 2020 | 13.2 | 222.3 |
| Jan 2021 | 13.0 | 220.7 |
| Feb 2021 | 15.5 | 207.0 |
| Mar 2021 | 12.7 | 220.4 |
| Apr 2021 | 13.4 | 221.1 |
| May 2021 | 13.1 | 220.7 |
| Jun 2021 | 12.3 | 221.0 |
| Jul 2021 | 12.3 | 220.5 |
| Aug 2021 | 12.2 | 221.8 |
| Sep 2021 | 13.0 | 221.7 |
| Oct 2021 | 14.3 | 220.1 |
| Nov 2021 | 11.0 | 224.3 |
| Dec 2021 | 11.9 | 223.1 |
| Jan 2022 | 12.8 | 219.2 |
| Feb 2022 | 12.3 | 228.7 |
| Mar 2022 | 12.9 | 225.8 |
| Apr 2022 | 10.8 | 228.3 |
| May 2022 | 10.0 | 232.4 |
| Jun 2022 | 9.9 | 228.1 |
| Jul 2022 | 10.2 | 227.0 |
| Aug 2022 | 10.5 | 228.8 |
| Sep 2022 | 9.5 | 229.3 |
| Oct 2022 | 10.3 | 232.6 |
Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey
The unemployment rate for youth (ages 15 to 24 years) increased by four percentage points compared to the previous month. While employment gains were made (+2,800), this was notably less than the increase in labour force size (+4,700). Compared to a year ago, an increase in youth employment (+2,800) has outpaced the growth in labour force size (+1,300), reducing the unemployment rate. Part-time work among youth reached a record high in October.
For those aged 25 years and older, the labour force grew slightly faster than employment. This resulted in a marginally higher unemployment rate compared to the previous month. Compared to a year earlier, employment growth for females (+4,800) outpaced labour force growth (+3,900), lowering this group’s unemployment rate slightly. However, the situation was different for males. While employment increased (+4,900) from a year ago, there were fewer people in the labour force (-2,500). This caused the unemployment rate for males of this age group to fall by 6.2 percentage points.
| Seasonally adjusted data | Oct 2022 (%) | Sep 2022 (%) | Oct 2021 (%) | Monthly variation (% points) |
Yearly variation (% points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 10.3 | 9.5 | 14.3 | 0.8 | -4.0 |
| 25 years and over | 9.6 | 9.3 | 13.4 | 0.3 | -3.8 |
| Men - 25 years and over | 11.8 | 11.2 | 18.0 | 0.6 | -6.2 |
| Women - 25 years and over | 7.2 | 7.4 | 8.3 | -0.2 | -1.1 |
| 15 to 24 years | 15.0 | 11.0 | 19.5 | 4.0 | -4.5 |
| Men - 15 to 24 years | 16.6 | 13.6 | 23.0 | 3.0 | -6.4 |
| Women - 15 to 24 years | 13.3 | 7.7 | 15.7 | 5.6 | -2.4 |
Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey - Table 14-10-0287
Employment by industry
Employment growth was led by the services-producing sector (+6,900). This sector has also been the key source of the province’s job gains over the past year, adding 15,300 jobs over this period. Accommodation and food services led monthly job growth (+1,700). Health care and social assistance (+1,400), public administration (+1,200), and professional, scientific, and technical services (+700) reached new highs in October. Compared to a year ago, three industries in this sector had employment growth of approximately 40%.
In contrast, the goods-producing sector produced both monthly (-3,600) and yearly (-2,900) employment losses. While construction employment was only slightly below its level from a year earlier, both manufacturing as well as forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, and oil and gas were more than 10% lower than in October of 2021.
| Seasonally adjusted data ('000) | Oct 2022 | Sep 2022 | Oct 2021 | Monthly variation | Yearly variation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | ||||
| Total employed, all industries | 232.6 | 229.3 | 220.1 | 3.3 | 1.4 | 12.5 | 5.7 |
| Goods-producing sector | 41.4 | 45.0 | 44.3 | -3.6 | -8.0 | -2.9 | -6.5 |
| Agriculture | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 66.7 | 0.2 | 25.0 |
| Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas | 13.3 | 14.8 | 14.9 | -1.5 | -10.1 | -1.6 | -10.7 |
| Utilities | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -0.1 | -6.7 |
| Construction | 16.2 | 17.4 | 16.6 | -1.2 | -6.9 | -0.4 | -2.4 |
| Manufacturing | 9.4 | 10.9 | 10.6 | -1.5 | -13.8 | -1.2 | -11.3 |
| Services-producing sector | 191.1 | 184.2 | 175.8 | 6.9 | 3.7 | 15.3 | 8.7 |
| Trade | 37.4 | 36.5 | 37.9 | 0.9 | 2.5 | -0.5 | -1.3 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 13.0 | 12.6 | 9.3 | 0.4 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 39.8 |
| Finance, insurance, real estate and leasing | 8.1 | 8.1 | 5.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.3 | 39.7 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 12.1 | 11.4 | 11.3 | 0.7 | 6.1 | 0.8 | 7.1 |
| Business, building and other support services | 5.0 | 5.3 | 6.7 | -0.3 | -5.7 | -1.7 | -25.4 |
| Educational services | 17.6 | 17.0 | 18.5 | 0.6 | 3.5 | -0.9 | -4.9 |
| Health care and social assistance | 45.3 | 43.9 | 41.3 | 1.4 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 9.7 |
| Information, culture and recreation | 6.2 | 5.9 | 7.1 | 0.3 | 5.1 | -0.9 | -12.7 |
| Accommodation and food services | 15.9 | 14.2 | 11.2 | 1.7 | 12.0 | 4.7 | 42.0 |
| Other services | 8.6 | 8.6 | 7.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 22.9 |
| Public administration | 21.9 | 20.7 | 19.7 | 1.2 | 5.8 | 2.2 | 11.2 |
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding
Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey - Table 14-10-0355
Regional analysis
Compared to a year ago, employment increased in all three of the province’s economic regions. This contributed to declines in the unemployment rate throughout the province.
The Avalon Peninsula led employment growth (+7,700), mainly in full-time positions (+4,300). Labour force growth was also strong (+5,400). The unemployment rate has fallen for eighteen consecutive months, mainly due to employment gains. Compared to a year ago, accommodation and food services (+4,500) led all industries in employment growth. This was its seventh consecutive increase following declines in every month since the start of the COVID-10 pandemic. Public administration (+2,400), wholesale and retail trade (+1,800), and transportation and warehousing (+1,600) all showed notable gains as well. Losses were widespread in the goods-producing sector, with construction (-700) showing its first loss since July of 2021.
In the South Coast–Burin Peninsula and Notre Dame-Central-Bonavista Bay economic region, employment rose slightly (+600) while there were fewer people in the labour force (-2,000). This lowered the unemployment rate by 3.9 percentage points compared to a year earlier. Full-time employment gains outweighed part-time losses. Employment more than doubled compared to twelve months earlier in transportation and warehousing (+2,100), and finance, insurance, real estate and leasing (+900). Wholesale and retail trade (-1,800) led industries that had a decline. Information, culture and recreation (-600) lost jobs for the third consecutive month. Employment in this industry was down by 43% compared to October of 2021.
In the West Coast-Northern Peninsula-Labrador economic region, employment growth (+2,400) outpaced an increase in labour force size (+700). As a result, the unemployment rate fell by 3.5 percentage points compared to a year earlier. Employment gains were mainly in full-time positions. The goods-producing sector (+4,100) led the increase in jobs. Forestry, fishing, mining, oil and gas (+2,000), construction (+1,100) and manufacturing (+900) all had strong growth. The services-producing sector lost jobs (-1,800) led by a decline in public administration (-1,600). However, health care and social assistance showed strong growth (+1,000), and professional, scientific, and technical services (+900) more than doubled its employment level of a year earlier.
| 3-Month Moving Averages Seasonally Unadjusted Data | Employment | Unemployment rate | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2022 ('000) |
Oct 2021 ('000) |
Yearly variation (%) |
Oct 2022 (%) |
Oct 2021 (%) |
Yearly variation (% points) |
|
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 237.3 | 226.7 | 4.7 | 8.9 | 11.6 | -2.7 |
| Economic regions | ||||||
| Avalon Peninsula | 140.7 | 133.0 | 5.8 | 6.9 | 8.7 | -1.8 |
| South Coast-Burin Peninsula and Notre Dame-Central Bonavista Bay | 51.2 | 50.6 | 1.2 | 11.3 | 15.2 | -3.9 |
| West Coast-Northern Peninsula-Labrador | 45.5 | 43.1 | 5.6 | 12.2 | 15.7 | -3.5 |
Note: Totals may not add due to rounding
Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey - Table 14-10-0387
Note
In preparing this document, the authors have taken care to provide clients with labour market information that is timely and accurate at the time of publication. Since labour market conditions are dynamic, some of the information presented here may have changed since this document was published. Users are encouraged to also refer to other sources for additional information on the local economy and labour market. Information contained in this document does not necessarily reflect official policies of Employment and Social Development Canada.
Prepared by: Labour Market Analysis Directorate, Service Canada, Atlantic Region
For further information, please contact the LMI team.
For information on the Labour Force Survey, please visit the Statistics Canada website.
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