(seasonally unadjusted)
In May 2018, the unemployment rate1 in the tourism sector was at 4.5%, which is 1.0 percentage point lower than the rate reported in May 2017, and lower than the previous month (April 2018) when the unemployment rate stood at 5.1%.
At 4.5%, tourism’s unemployment rate was well below Canada’s seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate of 5.9%.
With the exception of Accommodations and Travel Services, all tourism industry groups reported lower unemployment rates than the same month last year (Table 1).
On a provincial basis, tourism unemployment rates ranged from 2.0% in New Brunswick to 11.7% in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates for tourism in each province were below the rates reported for the provincial economy (Figure 1).
Tourism employment comprised 11.5% of the total Canadian labour force for the month of May.
| Tourism Industry Group2 | Unemployment Rate – May 2017 |
Unemployment Rate – May 2018 |
|---|---|---|
| Tourism | 5.5% | 4.5% |
| Accommodations | 5.7% | 6.5% |
| Food and Beverage | 5.8% | 4.8% |
| Recreation and Entertainment | 7.6% | 5.2% |
| Transportation | 2.3% | 2.2% |
| Travel Services | 3.7% | N/A% |
1 To determine unemployment rates, industrial (NAICS) classifications are based on the most recent job held within the past year, and are self-identified by the respondent. Unemployed persons are those who, during the reference period, were available for work but were on temporary layoff, were without work, or were to start a new job within four weeks.
2 As defined by the Canadian Tourism Satellite Account. The NAICS industries included in the tourism sector are those that would cease to exist or operate at a significantly reduced level of activity as a direct result of an absence of tourism. Source: Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey, customized tabulations. Based on data for the week ending May 19, 2018.