Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey for July examined Canada’s labour market conditions during the week of July 11 to 17.
Canada added 94,000 jobs in July, putting employment 1.3 per cent under February 2020 levels.
The employment rate for very recent immigrants has been on an upward trend throughout the pandemic, because their numbers are falling faster than their employment rate.
The number of very recent immigrants who were participating in the labour force ballooned from more than 612,000 in 2016 to 751,000 in 2019.
These elements combined mean that the labour force is shrinking, and there is not enough natural growth to make up for the losses.
Travel restrictions did start to ease at the end of June, when the border reopened to approved permanent residents.