April 26, 2026
Youth Unemployment Rate More Than Double National Average: Statistics Canada
The unemployment rate among Canadians aged 15 to 24 reached 14.1 percent in February—more than twice the national average of 6.7 percent that month, according to Statistics Canada. The youth jobless rate peaked at 14.6 percent in September 2025, its highest level in 15 years outside the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency said. It later fell [...]
TL;DR
- Canadian youth (15-24) unemployment rate was 14.1% in February, over double the national average of 6.7%.
- Youth jobless rate hit a 15-year high (outside COVID-19) of 14.6% in September 2025.
- The youth rate fluctuated, falling to 13.3% in December, rising in February, and easing to 13.8% in March.
- Ontario had the highest provincial youth unemployment rate at 17.1% in Q3 2025.
- The overall national unemployment rate was 6.8% at the end of 2025.
- The employment rate was 60.9% in December, up from a four-year low in August.