Work and study permit holders see huge gain in employment as strong hiring continues in Canada

The number of people employed overall increased significantly in January 2023, with 150,000 new positions (or 5% of all positions) being filled across Canada in the first month of the year.

Many categories saw considerable increases in employment as a result of the robust hiring boom (especially employees aged 25 to 54), with Non-Permanent Residents (NPRs)—those who possess either a Study or Work Permit—observing particularly high increases in labour force participation.

Little has changed since December 2022 in terms of the historically low 5% national unemployment rate. At the end of 2022, the average unemployment rate for immigrants in Canada was 5.96%, which was a reflection of the abundance of employment prospects there.