Labour Market Survey & Trends – January 2022

Labour force survey results reflect the period from January 9 to 15. 

Market Trend Highlights (Month over Month)
  • Nova Scotia’s seasonally adjusted employment increased by 2,700 (+0.6%) from December 2021 to January 2022, rising to 472,600.  This is the third consecutive month of modest employment gains in Nova Scotia.
    • Rising employment was attributable to a significant increase (+10,800) in full-time employment offset by a drop (-8,100) in part-time employment.  These changes include variations in hours within the same job.
  • Nova Scotia’s labour force participation rate declined 0.5 percentage points to 61.2% in January 2022.  The employment rate increased 0.2 percentage points to 56.9% in January 2022.
    • Although employment levels and employment rates have returned to pre-COVID benchmarks, the participation rate remains below the level observed in February 2020 (62.6%).

LEARN MORE: Click here for more labour market trends by demographics. 


Labour Market Survey (Month over Month)

In Nova Scotia,

  • Labour force decreased 0.6% (3,000) to 508,400
  • Employment increased 0.6% (2,700) to 472,600
  • Unemployment decreased 13.7% (5,700) to 35,800
  • Unemployment Rate decreased 1.1 percentage points to 7.0%.

LEARN MORE: Click here for year-over-year data from the labour market survey.

Labour Market Survey (Visible Minorities)

Starting with July 2020, Statistics Canada has added a question to the Labour Force Survey asking respondents about whether they identify with visible minority populations. Labour force characteristics for Indigenous populations are reported separately in the Labour Force Survey.

  • Nationally, the unemployment rate of those who identify with a visible minority population (8.0%) was higher than the unemployment rate (6.2%) of those that did not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population.
  • National participation rates were higher for those who identify with a visible minority population (74.7%) than for those that did not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population (73.6%).
    • In Atlantic Canada, those who identify with a visible minority population reported an 75.1% participation rate, compared to a 68.9% participation rate for those that do not identify as Indigenous or in a visible minority population.

LEARN MORE: Click here for more survey information specific to visible minorities.