Numbers released Friday by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show a kind of mixed bag for job seekers across the border.
The bureau reported that the U.S. economy gained 215,000 jobs in March, however, the unemployment rate rose slightly to 5%, up from 4.9% in the month before.
The report also said average hourly earnings for private sector workers increased by seven cents, to $25.43, after dropping two cents in February.
The gains in the number of payroll jobs slightly exceeded analysts' expectations. In a survey conducted by Bloomberg, economists forecast that companies added 205,000 jobs to their payrolls last month. Those economists had expected the unemployment rate to remain unchanged.
The bureau revised January's jobs gains downward, to 168,000 from 172,000. February's figures were revised upward, to 245,000 from 242,000.
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