Alberta unemployment rate ticks up to 7.2% in April as jobs stagnate nationwide

Alberta lost more jobs than the rest of Canada combined in April, according to Statistics Canada, but the employment decline was within the margin of error for the federal agency's monthly Labour Force Survey.

Overall, the province'sunemployment rate ticked up 0.1 percentage points to 7.2 per cent.

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There were 10,900 fewer full-time jobs in April than in March, according to Statistics Canada, and 9,900 fewer part-time jobs.

The standard error rate for Alberta-specific datain the national surveyis14,100 for full-time employment and 13,100 for part-time employment.

Employment nationwidewas "virtually unchanged"in April, according to Statistics Canada, with the survey reflecting a decline of 2,100 jobs, which the agency described as achange of zero per cent.

The Canadian unemployment rate stayed steady at 7.1per cent.

Statistics Canada notes the monthly analysis of the labour market "focuses on differences between estimates that are statistically significant at the 68 per cent confidence level."

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