Services accounted for the increase, while employment in oil and gas continued to decline.
Alberta added approximately 23,000 jobs in September 2026, bringing its unemployment rate down to 6.4% as employment fell nationally.
Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey, released October 9, shows Alberta employment increased 0.9% from August. The province had approximately 76,000 more people working than a year earlier, an increase of 2.9%, compared with 0.5% nationally.
| September employment figures | Alberta | Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly employment change | +23,000 | −68,000 |
| Employment growth over 12 months | +2.9% | +0.5% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.4% | 6.5% |
Alberta’s unemployment rate fell from 6.8% in August and 7.7% a year earlier. Canada’s rate rose to 6.5% following a second consecutive monthly employment decline.
Services account for September’s increase
September was Alberta’s strongest month for employment growth since November 2025, according to ATB Financial economist Siddhartha Bhattacharya.
ATB found that services accounted for the entire net increase. Employment in goods-producing industries remained weak.
Employment in the mining, quarrying, and oil-and-gas extraction category continued to decline despite higher oil prices and increased drilling activity. Most Alberta workers in that category are employed in oil and gas.
Youth unemployment drops to 12.5%
Alberta’s youth unemployment rate fell from 15.3% to 12.5%, its lowest level since October 2023, ATB reported.
Fewer young people actively looking for work explained part of the decline. People who stop searching generally no longer count as unemployed, so a lower rate does not necessarily mean an equivalent increase in hiring. ATB said further data would be needed to establish a lasting improvement.
Education employment down from last year
Some industries reported substantial annual losses. Statistics Canada estimated that Alberta employment in educational services was down approximately 17,000, or 9%, from September 2025. That decline occurred over 12 months, not in September alone.
Alberta’s population growth has also affected its unemployment rate. ATB noted that the province’s strong employment growth in recent years coincided with an expanding pool of job seekers. September’s figures suggest hiring is keeping better pace with the number of people entering the labour market.
