Canada Unemployment Rate expected to tick higher, adding pressure to the BoC’s policy outlook
- The Canadian Unemployment Rate is seen edging higher in November.
- Extra cooling of the labour market could reinforce additional rate cuts.
- The Canadian Dollar maintains its recovery in place so far this week.
Statistics Canada will release its Labour Force Survey on Friday, and markets are bracing for a weak print. The Unemployment Rate is expected to tick higher to 7% in November, while the Employment Change is forecast to come in flat after a nice gain in October.
A weaker report could strengthen the case for the Bank of Canada (BoC) to continue its easing cycle next week after cutting its policy rate by 25 basis points to 2.25% at its October 29 gathering, following the September rate reduction.
The Bank of Canada cut its benchmark rate by 25 basis points to 2.25% in late October; no surprises there. In addition, policymakers said they think rates are now roughly where they need to be to keep inflation near target while still giving the economy a bit of support as it works through the fallout from the US-driven trade war.
Markets do not expect the central bank to lower interest rates next week, while implied rates suggest a marginal tightening by the end of 2026.
What can we expect from the next Canadian Unemployment Rate print?
Consensus among market participants projects a slight rise in Canada’s Unemployment Rate to 7% last month, up from October’s 6.9%. Additionally, investors forecast the economy will add no jobs in November, reversing October’s 66.6K increase. It is worth recalling that Average Hourly Wages rose at an annualised 4% in October, pointing to sticky wage inflation.
According to analysts at TD Securities: “The November jobs report will provide the main risk for events this week, with TD and the market looking for the labour market to give back some recent strength as the unemployment rate edges higher to 7.0%.”
When is the Canada Unemployment Rate released, and how could it affect USD/CAD?
All eyes in Canada will be on Friday’s GDP release, due at 13:30 GMT. A stronger print could give the Canadian Dollar (CAD) a quick lift, but don’t expect fireworks.
USD/CAD has been on a steady decline almost entirely to the tune of the US Dollar (USD) lately, and that story is still all about the timing of further easing by the Federal Reserve (Fed).
Pablo Piovano, Senior Analyst at FXStreet, points out that the CAD has clawed back a bit of ground since its lows late in the previous month, nudging USD/CAD back below the key 1.4000 support. He also notes that the technical setup still leans toward further losses if spot manages to clear its key 200-day SMA at 1.3913.
From here, Piovano says a return of bullish momentum could send USD/CAD up to test the November high at 1.4140 (November 5), and if that breaks, the next target would be the April peak at 1.4414 (April 1).
On the flip side, he highlights initial support at the December floor of 1.3925 (December 4), followed by that key 200-day SMA. A clean break lower would put the October base at 1.3887 (October 29) on the radar, ahead of the September trough at 1.3726 (September 17) and the July valley at 1.3556 (July 3).
“Momentum favours extra declines,” he adds, noting that the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is hovering near 40 and the Average Directional Index (ADX) around 21 suggests the underlying trend appears to be gathering traction.
Economic Indicator
Unemployment Rate
The Unemployment Rate, released by Statistics Canada, is the number of unemployed workers divided by the total civilian labor force as a percentage. It is a leading indicator for the Canadian Economy. If the rate is up, it indicates a lack of expansion within the Canadian labor market and a weakening of the Canadian economy. Generally, a decrease of the figure is seen as bullish for the Canadian Dollar (CAD), while an increase is seen as bearish.
Read more.Next release: Fri Dec 05, 2025 13:30
Frequency: Monthly
Consensus: 7%
Previous: 6.9%
Source: Statistics Canada
Employment FAQs
Labor market conditions are a key element to assess the health of an economy and thus a key driver for currency valuation. High employment, or low unemployment, has positive implications for consumer spending and thus economic growth, boosting the value of the local currency. Moreover, a very tight labor market – a situation in which there is a shortage of workers to fill open positions – can also have implications on inflation levels and thus monetary policy as low labor supply and high demand leads to higher wages.
The pace at which salaries are growing in an economy is key for policymakers. High wage growth means that households have more money to spend, usually leading to price increases in consumer goods. In contrast to more volatile sources of inflation such as energy prices, wage growth is seen as a key component of underlying and persisting inflation as salary increases are unlikely to be undone. Central banks around the world pay close attention to wage growth data when deciding on monetary policy.
The weight that each central bank assigns to labor market conditions depends on its objectives. Some central banks explicitly have mandates related to the labor market beyond controlling inflation levels. The US Federal Reserve (Fed), for example, has the dual mandate of promoting maximum employment and stable prices. Meanwhile, the European Central Bank’s (ECB) sole mandate is to keep inflation under control. Still, and despite whatever mandates they have, labor market conditions are an important factor for policymakers given its significance as a gauge of the health of the economy and their direct relationship to inflation.