The federal government released their July 2026 job numbers last week, and job numbers are down in Alberta.
The net decrease to jobs between June and last month was 7,300. That nearly wipes out the 7,800 gain we saw between May and June.
Gender & age
Among workers 25 years of age and older, men saw the larger decrease between June and July. There were 10,000 fewer men over 25 at work last month compared to June. Those numbers increase to a loss of 14,800 if you include those who are 15–24 years old.
Women, however, saw an increase of 1,900 in the number of those 25 years old and older finding new work compared to those working in June. When you add in the younger cohort, it improves to a 7,500 gain.
Statistics Canada provided no data on non-binary or intersex workers.
Speaking of age, Alberta had the second fewest older people as a percentage of the total workforce last month, compared to the other provinces.
| 55+ | All ages | 55+ as % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| NL | 55,000 | 243,600 | 22.58% |
| NB | 89,900 | 406,200 | 22.13% |
| NS | 118,900 | 537,900 | 22.10% |
| PEI | 20,600 | 96,000 | 21.46% |
| BC | 618,800 | 2,954,700 | 20.94% |
| PON | 1,739,200 | 8,324,600 | 20.89% |
| QC | 952,500 | 4,607,200 | 20.67% |
| SK | 123,300 | 619,200 | 19.91% |
| AB | 494,600 | 2,670,000 | 18.52% |
| MB | 135,700 | 755,600 | 17.96% |
Compared to other provinces
Here’s how Alberta’s job numbers compare to the other provinces:
| Jun 2026 | Jul 2026 | Change | % change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ON | 8,273,000 | 8,324,600 | 51,600 | 0.62% |
| BC | 2,936,900 | 2,954,700 | 17,800 | 0.61% |
| MB | 749,700 | 755,600 | 5,900 | 0.79% |
| NS | 533,300 | 537,900 | 4,600 | 0.86% |
| SK | 616,700 | 619,200 | 2,500 | 0.41% |
| QC | 4,606,500 | 4,607,200 | 700 | 0.02% |
| NB | 406,000 | 406,200 | 200 | 0.05% |
| NL | 243,800 | 243,600 | -200 | -0.08% |
| PEI | 96,600 | 96,000 | -600 | -0.62% |
| AB | 2,677,300 | 2,670,000 | -7,300 | -0.27% |
Alberta was 1 of only 3 provinces that saw job numbers drop, and of those 3, Alberta had the largest decrease in terms of absolute numbers. As a percentage of total jobs though, Alberta has the second largest decrease.
Ontario had the largest increase in the country, gaining over 50,000 jobs.
By industry
Only 7 job sectors in Alberta actually saw an increase in jobs in June. Of those, construction had the highest gains: 7,600.
Most of the remaining sectors reported by Statistics Canada saw job losses, with the “accomodation and food services” sector losing the most, at 9,700 jobs:
| Accomodation & food services | -9,700 |
| Business, building & other support services | -5,600 |
| Professional, scientific & technical services | -5,200 |
| Public administration | -4,900 |
| Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil & gas | -3,000 |
| Health care and social assistance | -1,700 |
| Wholesale and retail trade | -1,300 |
| Agriculture | -1,100 |
| Information, culture & recreation | -1,100 |
Combined, these 6 industries lost nearly 34,000 jobs.
Compared to a year ago, the industry with the highest job gains was “health care and social assistance”, increasing by 61,000 jobs, a jump of 18.75%.
The manufacturing sector saw the largest decrease over the last year, losing almost 10,000 jobs, which was roughly 6% of its total workforce.
| Jul 2025 | Jul 2026 | Change | % change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care & social assistance | 325,400 | 386,400 | 61,000 | 18.75% |
| Construction | 247,500 | 274,200 | 26,700 | 10.79% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 94,500 | 103,900 | 9,400 | 9.95% |
| Wholesale & retail trade | 362,900 | 371,400 | 8,500 | 2.34% |
| Information, culture & recreation | 91,100 | 97,400 | 6,300 | 6.92% |
| Public administration | 131,400 | 136,200 | 4,800 | 3.65% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate, rental & leasing | 148,100 | 152,700 | 4,600 | 3.11% |
| Educational services | 171,700 | 175,800 | 4,100 | 2.39% |
| Agriculture | 35,100 | 38,900 | 3,800 | 10.83% |
| Utilities | 20,200 | 23,200 | 3,000 | 14.85% |
| Business, building & other support services | 83,000 | 79,100 | -3,900 | -4.70% |
| Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil & gas | 142,600 | 137,400 | -5,200 | -3.65% |
| Accommodation & food services | 154,400 | 148,100 | -6,300 | -4.08% |
| Transportation & warehousing | 159,200 | 152,600 | -6,600 | -4.15% |
| Professional, scientific & technical services | 248,000 | 238,500 | -9,500 | -3.83% |
| Manufacturing | 163,900 | 154,100 | -9,800 | -5.98% |
Private & public sector
The report from Statistics Canada also shows that Alberta’s private sector shrunk by 9,400 between June and July. There were 64,400 more private-sector jobs as there were this time last year, however.
In comparison, public sector jobs were up by 4,500 over June, and Alberta had 23,700 more public sector workers compared to July 2025.
Self employed jobs were down by 2,300 over June but up by 3,000 over July 2025.
Part-time & full-time jobs
Part-time jobs grew last month. Alberta gained 1,000 part-time jobs (seasonally adjusted) between June and July.
In contrast, Alberta lost 8,500 full-time jobs during the same period, adding to the 4,400 full-time jobs lost between May and June.
Alberta has seen a net gain of 47,400 full-time jobs in 2026, which works out to an average of 6,771 per month.
These full-time losses last month were all men workers (8,800), with 400 more women working full-time. For part-time jobs, it was a loss for men (6,000) and a gain for women (7,000).
In June 2019, the month before the Job Creation Tax Cut came into effect, there were 1,886,700 people working full-time. Last month, there were 2,202,800. That means that there are 316,100 more full-time jobs than there were before the UCP cut the tax on corporate profits.
While more full-time jobs does seem like a good thing, let’s take a look at how much of a percentage of total jobs are full-time jobs. In June 2019, full-time jobs made up 82.50% of all jobs in the province.
Last month, they were at 82.59%, so the percentage of Alberta workers being employed in full-time positions has also increased; although it is down from 82.97% in March, 82.84% in May, and 82.59% in June.
There were only a handful of times during 2023 when this number passed 82.5%, but it was always only marginally and came right back down the following month. And only once in 2024 (July) did it pass the mark. June and August were the only months in 2025 that it rose above 82.5%. So far, January, March, May, June, and July have been the only months in 2026 where it passed that mark.
Wages
Speaking of full-time jobs, median wages for full-time workers in Alberta decreased by 2¢ an hour to $34.60 an hour last month, down from $35.00 in May and $36.06 in April. This is its lowest level since August 2025.
Part-time hourly wages, remained unchanged at $20 an hour—where they were in March, April, and June.
The median hourly wage for both full-time and part-time jobs increased to $32.021, up 21¢ from $32.00 in June.
Alberta had the second highest median hourly wage of all the provinces, behind BC, where they have been since 2023, except this past January, when they were briefly ahead and February and April when they were tied. There was also a brief period last year when Alberta was in third place, behind not only BC but also Ontario.
In June, Alberta workers were a full $1 an hour behind those in BC. Last month, however, they narrowed the gap slightly, to 79¢ behind. BC’s median hourly wage for both full-time and part-time wages has been $33 for 8 of the last 10 months.
Speaking of which, Alberta had the third highest median full-time hourly wage in June 2026, $1.00 behind BC and 2 behind Ontario.
| BC | $35.50 |
| ON | $34.62 |
| AB | $34.60 |
| QC | $33.00 |
| SK | $31.25 |
| NS | $29.39 |
| NL | $28.85 |
| NB | $28.85 |
| MB | $28.56 |
| PEI | $28.20 |
Alberta was 1 of just 2 provinces to see a decrease in median hourly wages for full-time workers over the past 12 months.
| Jul 2025 | Jul 2026 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEI | $26.04 | $28.20 | $2.16 |
| NB | $27.50 | $28.85 | $1.35 |
| SK | $30.00 | $31.25 | $1.25 |
| NS | $28.29 | $29.39 | $1.10 |
| ON | $33.65 | $34.62 | $0.97 |
| BC | $34.58 | $35.50 | $0.92 |
| QC | $32.29 | $33.00 | $0.71 |
| MB | $28.00 | $28.56 | $0.56 |
| AB | $34.92 | $34.60 | -$0.32 |
| NL | $29.50 | $28.85 | -$0.65 |
For part-time workers, Alberta was tied with PEI, Québec, and Ontario for the second-highest median hourly wage last month, up from fourth-highest in April.
| BC | $21.69 |
| PEI | $20.00 |
| QC | $20.00 |
| ON | $20.00 |
| AB | $20.00 |
| NS | $19.00 |
| SK | $19.00 |
| MB | $18.98 |
| NB | $18.60 |
| NL | $18.50 |
Alberta was one of 4 provinces that were tied for having the third highest increase in part-time median hourly wages over the last year.
| Jul 2025 | Jul 2026 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEI | $17.50 | $20.00 | $2.50 |
| QC | $18.50 | $20.00 | $1.50 |
| ON | $19.00 | $20.00 | $1.00 |
| NS | $18.00 | $19.00 | $1.00 |
| NL | $17.50 | $18.50 | $1.00 |
| AB | $19.00 | $20.00 | $1.00 |
| BC | $21.00 | $21.69 | $0.69 |
| NB | $18.00 | $18.60 | $0.60 |
| MB | $18.80 | $18.98 | $0.18 |
| SK | $20.00 | $19.00 | -$1.00 |
By industry, Alberta wages increased in 7 of the 16 reported sectors since June. They remained unchanged in 2 and decreased in the other 7.
| Jun 2026 | Jul 2026 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing | $34.62 | $40.05 | $5.43 |
| Educational services | $38.86 | $41.83 | $2.97 |
| Transportation and warehousing | $33.08 | $35.00 | $1.92 |
| Health care and social assistance | $30.00 | $31.83 | $1.83 |
| Utilities | $53.85 | $55.50 | $1.65 |
| Agriculture | $24.00 | $25.22 | $1.22 |
| Other services (except public administration) | $26.15 | $26.44 | $0.29 |
| Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas | $50.00 | $50.00 | $0.00 |
| Public administration | $49.44 | $49.44 | $0.00 |
| Accommodation and food services | $17.55 | $17.50 | -$0.05 |
| Wholesale and retail trade | $23.00 | $22.90 | -$0.10 |
| Information, culture and recreation | $25.00 | $24.00 | -$1.00 |
| Business, building and other support services | $24.04 | $23.00 | -$1.04 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | $44.54 | $43.27 | -$1.27 |
| Construction | $35.00 | $33.00 | -$2.00 |
| Manufacturing | $37.78 | $34.54 | -$3.24 |
Over the last year, it was pretty much the same story, except it was 8 sectors that saw improved wages.
| Jul 2025 | Jul 2026 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public administration | $44.52 | $49.44 | $4.92 |
| Agriculture | $21.00 | $25.22 | $4.22 |
| Manufacturing | $31.00 | $34.54 | $3.54 |
| Educational services | $39.56 | $41.83 | $2.27 |
| Health care and social assistance | $29.81 | $31.83 | $2.02 |
| Information, culture and recreation | $22.00 | $24.00 | $2.00 |
| Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and leasing | $39.39 | $40.05 | $0.66 |
| Accommodation and food services | $17.00 | $17.50 | $0.50 |
| Transportation and warehousing | $35.00 | $35.00 | $0.00 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | $43.27 | $43.27 | $0.00 |
| Wholesale and retail trade | $23.00 | $22.90 | -$0.10 |
| Utilities | $56.00 | $55.50 | -$0.50 |
| Other services (except public administration) | $27.40 | $26.44 | -$0.96 |
| Forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, oil and gas | $51.00 | $50.00 | -$1.00 |
| Business, building and other support services | $24.00 | $23.00 | -$1.00 |
| Construction | $37.00 | $33.00 | -$4.00 |
Unemployment rate
Alberta saw its unemployment rate remain at 7.0% last month. In July 2025, it was 7.9%.
Alberta’s labour force decreased last month, by 6,300. With having 7,300 more people actually working and 6,300 fewer available to work than in June, it makes sense that our unemployment rate stayed the same.
As far as how it compares with the rest of the country, Alberta was tied with New Brunswick with the country’s second highest unemployment rate, behind only Newfoundland and Labrador (9.3%).
Canada saw an increase in employment last month, with jobs across the country rising by 75,100. Those gains were driven primarily by Ontario (51,600) and BC (17,800).
The national unemployment rate shrunk from 6.5% in June and 6.6% in May to 6.4% last month.
Alberta’s youth (15–24) unemployment rate was the 2nd highest in the country, up from 5th highest in May. It was also higher than the national average of 12.6%.
| NL | 16.6 |
| AB | 14.5 |
| ON | 14.4 |
| NB | 14.1 |
| SK | 12.4 |
| NS | 11.8 |
| BC | 11.6 |
| PEI | 11 |
| MB | 10.7 |
| QC | 9 |
On the plus side, Alberta had the second largest decrease in its youth unemployment rate between June and July, which is an improvement over having the largest increases, which is what happened in June.
| Jun 2026 | Jul 2026 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEI | 12.7 | 11 | -1.7 |
| AB | 15.8 | 14.5 | -1.3 |
| BC | 12.9 | 11.6 | -1.3 |
| MB | 12 | 10.7 | -1.3 |
| NL | 16.8 | 16.6 | -0.2 |
| NB | 14 | 14.1 | 0.1 |
| ON | 14.2 | 14.4 | 0.2 |
| QC | 8.2 | 9 | 0.8 |
| NS | 10.5 | 11.8 | 1.3 |
| SK | 11.1 | 12.4 | 1.3 |
A year ago, we had the highest youth unemployment rate in the country, which has resulted in Alberta having the largest drop in youth unemployment rate since last July.
| Jul 2025 | Jul 2026 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AB | 20.0 | 14.5 | -5.5 |
| QC | 11.1 | 9.0 | -2.1 |
| NS | 13.9 | 11.8 | -2.1 |
| ON | 15.9 | 14.4 | -1.5 |
| BC | 12.3 | 11.6 | -0.7 |
| NB | 14.7 | 14.1 | -0.6 |
| SK | 12.6 | 12.4 | -0.2 |
| MB | 10.6 | 10.7 | 0.1 |
| PEI | 9.8 | 11.0 | 1.2 |
| NL | 13.8 | 16.6 | 2.8 |
