Oil employment in Canada, Newfoundland and other provinces

Although fishing and forestry were once major Canadian industries, mineral and energy resources have become the main source of income for the nation. Canada is the world leader in mineral exports and a net exporter of energy. Its oil production is estimated at over 2 million barrels a day. In the natural gas sector, Canada exports more than 90 billion cubic meters per year. As a result, Canada is the ninth largest oil exporter in the world and the third largest exporter of natural gas. In addition, Canada has the third largest proven oil reserves and the twenty largest reserves of natural gas on the planet.

Oil sector employment in Canada and its provinces

For the first time since began falling oil prices in international markets employment figures clearly show the negative effects of this reality in Alberta. In the Canadian province quintessential oil last month lost 14,000 oil jobs, which was advanced its unemployment rate 0.8 percentage points to 5.3%. The indicator remains, however, below the national average of 6.8%.

At home, unemployment rose 0.2% according to data from Statistics Canada the increase was by a greater number of people in search of work. In the last 12 months, the Canadian economy has been able to create 130,000 spaces (0.7%), with the highest momentum in the second half of the period.

Oil employment situation in Canada By province

In Quebec, employment increased for the second consecutive month, up 17,000 oil rig jobs in the last month. However, it noted that the federal agency statistics show that the increase was in part-time oil rig jobs (considered by analysts as lower quality). In the last 12 months, employment in Quebec has advanced 44,000 oil rig jobs (1.1%) above the national average. The unemployment rate, however, remained unchanged at Belle Province (7.4%), higher than the Canadian average, as a result of more people looking for oil rig jobs.

Meanwhile in Ontario the increase was in full-time employment in oil sector was offset by the decline in part-time oil positions. Thus, the labor market showed little variation in this Canadian province. The unemployment rate remained at 6.9%. Compared to the figure recorded 12 months ago, oil rig employment in Ontario rose only 0.6%, which translates into about 39,000 oil rig jobs.

In the case of Alberta, with job losses already mentioned, the province recorded the highest unemployment rate since September 2011. These losses were mainly in the sectors of wholesale trade and retail, natural resources, professional services and manufacturing. It noted that since September 2014 in the province have been lost 20,000 places in the natural resources sector. An analysis of JP Morgan warned in January of this year that "will be blood" by falling oil prices in this province.

In Nova Scotia, 4,400 oil rig jobs were lost and unemployment rose 0.7 percentage points to 9.1%.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, oil rig employment also fell in February. This remains the province with the highest unemployment rate across Canada (12.6%).

In Saskatchewan, the Canadian region with the lowest unemployment rate, jobs were also lost and the rate rose from 4.5 to 5.0% last month.

StatCan data reveal that in the remaining provinces ranged employment almost nothing in the first two months of 2015.

In the manufacturing sector lost 20,000 jobs in February, thus giving the first decline since August 2014. Most of the losses in this category were in Ontario and Alberta.

Natural resources, employment fell by 17,000 seats. In the last two months across the country, they have lost 26,000 jobs in this area and most of those losses have occurred in British Columbia and Alberta.

In the field of information, culture and recreation low (12 000 seats in February) it was also given.

Last month also gave a major setback in the sector of "other services" (repair, maintenance and cleaning), where 44,000 jobs have been lost in the last 12 months.

In the construction it was given more of a boost last month and this sector increased its capacity to 16,000 jobs hire.

Employment also rose in educational services (15,000 in February) and from the same month of 2014, this area has seen an advance of 5%.

While the number of workers in the private sector has changed little in the last 12 months, the public sector registered an advance of 43,000 seats in the analyzed period. In the case of self-employed it has been an increase of 60,000 in the last year (2.2%).

If you take into account the parameters used in the United States to measure unemployment in Canada the indicator was 5.9%. In the neighbouring country, the rate stood at 5.5% in February.

We must remember that in the case of immigrants, the situation varies, but according to statistics specific to the federal agency for immigrants with five years or less in the country, the unemployment rate is doubled. This despite the fact that a good proportion has high academic preparation. In 2013, for example, the unemployment rate for immigrants with professional (and less than five years in Canada) degrees in Ontario was 14.7%, while in Quebec, the rate was 12.4%.