Payroll employment in Canada rose by 24,100 workers, or 0.1%, on a monthly basis in May with gains led by public administration, health care and social assistance, and retail trade, according to the country's statistical agency.
The number of employees receiving pay and benefits from their employer in the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours was slower than the increase of 59,000 in April, Statistics Canada said Thursday.
Payroll employment rose by 112,500, or 0.6%, year over year, in May.
May's increases were partly offset by declines in finance and insurance and professional, scientific and technical services, according to StatCan. Job vacancies remained broadly stable at 495,700, extending five months of little movement, the agency said.
Average weekly earnings growth eased annually to 3.4% in May from 3.7% in April, while average hours worked remained stable. StatCan's monthly survey is based on administrative and establishment-level data while its Labour Force Survey is based on household data. The agency said employment trends in both survey generally track each other over the longer term.