Employment in Canada edged down by 18,000 in April 2026, following a gain of 14,000 in the prior month and missing forecasts for a 15,000 increase. The result marked a second straight month of limited movement after February’s sharp decline of 84,000 jobs. Full-time employment fell by 47,000, while part-time positions increased by 29,000. Employment levels were broadly unchanged across the private and public sectors, as well as among self-employed workers. The unemployment rate rose among youth aged 15 to 24 to 14.3% and among core-aged men to 6.1%. Regionally, employment declined in Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, and New Brunswick, while Ontario added 42,000 jobs. Meanwhile, the employment rate slipped 0.1 percentage points to 60.5%.