The Canadian economy created 15,200 jobs last month, the fifth month in a row of little change, while the jobless rate fell to its lowest level in nearly two years as young people stopped looking for work.
The unemployment rate fell to 7.6% in November -- the lowest level since January, 2009 -- from 7.9% a month earlier, Statistics Canada said Friday.
Over the past year, the labour market has expanded by 318,000 jobs, a striking contrast to the United States, where the economy is struggling to replace the millions of jobs lost in the recession. While Canada's job creation is much stronger, most of the growth in the past year has been in part-time work, and employment among young people hasn't much improved.
The drop in the jobless rate stemmed more from youth, who gave up looking for work, than job growth. The youth participation rate, at 63.2%, is the lowest since August 1999.
More full-time jobs disappeared last month while part-time employment grew. Employers trimmed 11,5000 jobs in November and added 26,700 positions. Over the past year, part-time work has grown 4% while full-time employment has expanded 1.4%. The country's jobless rate may not stay at current levels, analysts said.
Last month's job gains were in health care and social assistance, retail and wholesale trade, along with accommodation and food services. Factories and food services shed jobs. Health care and social assistance has been one of the fastest-growing areas in the past year.
Among provinces, Ontario was the only one with a solid increase last month, which pushed the jobless rate to a near two-year-low of 8.2% from 8.6%. Employment fell in Quebec and Manitoba and was little changed elsewhere, Statscan said.
Economists polled by Bloomberg had expected 19,800 new jobs would be created with the unemployment rate remaining at 7.9%.
