REGINA — Statistics Canada's annual labour force statistics show Saskatchewan continued to grow a strong and engaged labour force last year, according to Immigration and Career Training Saskatchewan.
Saskatchewan had the second-lowest annual average unemployment rate among the provinces at 4.8 per cent, which was well-below the national unemployment rate of 5.4 per cent. The province had 592,000 people employed in 2023, an increase of 10,700, or 1.8 per cent, from 2022, and its working-age population (age 15 and over) reached an all-time historical high with 924,400.
Full-time employment increased to 489,000 in 2023, with 2.4 per cent more people working in full-time jobs compared to 2022.
Saskatchewan is on track to reach its goal of 100,000 new jobs by the end of 2030.
In 2023, the largest job gains year-over-year were reported in:
- Professional, scientific and technical services, up 5,600;
- Educational services, up 4,000; and
- Transportation and warehousing, up 3,100.
Regionally, the largest employment gains were in Regina, up by 6,400, and Saskatoon, which increased by 5,500 from a year ago.
With the Government of Saskatchewan's commitment to building a broad based labour force, the province recorded all-time historical highs for off-reserve Indigenous youth employment (aged 15-24) reaching 12,500, and overall female employment reaching 275,400.
