Nunavut's labour force comprised 15,900 people in March. With 14,500 of them gainfully employed, the unemployment rate stood at a seasonally unadjusted 8.7 per cent. That was down from 9.1 per cent in February, but still the highest among the territories with the NWT at five per cent and Yukon at 4.7 per cent. For Canada as a whole, the unemployment rate was 6.1 per cent in March.
The employment rate came in at 55 per cent, the lowest among the territories as the NWT registered at 65.7 per cent in March while Yukon reported 70 per cent. While it may seem counterintuitive, Nunavut's highest monthly employment rate over the past couple of years was in December 2021, during the Covid pandemic, when it measured 63.5 per cent, but the lowest point also occurred during the pandemic, in May 2020, at 45.9 per cent.
The unemployment rate has been trending downward since Covid, when it reached as high as 20.1 per cent in August 2020.
The average weekly wage, including overtime, for all employees in Nunavut stood at $1,649.53 as of February, up 2.7 per cent from a year earlier, Statistics Canada reported. Hourly workers earned $1,319.57 on average weekly compared to $2,106.09 weekly for salaried employees.
Nunavut's minimum wage rose to national high of $19 an hour as of Jan. 1, up from $16 hourly previously.
Pay raise for GN staff
Government of Nunavut workers who fall under the Nunavut Employees Union and senior management groups are getting a nine per cent raise as of Sept. 30, Human Resources Minister David Akeeagok announced on May 31.
An additional two per cent will be applied to more senior and specialized roles that will allow for role development and incentives for employees to take on added responsibilities.
The salary increases come as a result of a recent compensation review that found a need for structural changes. The review, led by the Department of Human Resources in collaboration with the Department of Finance, included benchmarking across Canada and within the territory.
Public service stats
According to the Government of Nunavut's 2021-22 Public Service Annual Report, there were 5,384 public service positions during that fiscal year, which reflected 122 new positions.
However, 1,863 jobs were vacant.
Inuit represented 51 per cent of the workforce and they were predominantly female: 1,364 Inuit women to 411 Inuit men. The territorial government as a whole was 65 per cent female, yet male employees averaged $101,616 in salary to $94,839 for females.
The average salary overall was $97,170, with Inuit typically making $85,991 while non-Inuit averaged $108,829.
Total compensation paid out for the year amounted to $667.2 million.
The average public servant had worked for the government for 9.27 years and was approximately 45 years old.
The top six communities hosting GN jobs were: Iqaluit (2,227), Rankin Inlet (548), Cambridge Bay (325), Arviat (256) and Baker Lake and Iglulik (both at 205).
Income disparity
The 2021 census determined that the median income among Inuit in Nunavut was $40,400 compared to $116,000 for non-Indigenous residents.
Inuit women in Inuit Nunangat — which also encompasses Nunavik (northern Quebec), Nunatsiavut (Labrador) and the Inuvialuit (NWT) — earned a median income $5,600 higher than Inuit men, the census showed.
The survey indicated that the Inuit employment rate in Nunavut was the lowest in Inuit Nunangat at 47.9 per cent. It was highest among Inuit living outside of Inuit Nunangat, measuring 62.2 per cent.
Fact file
Nunavut average weekly earnings by industry (February 2024)
Goods producing industries: $2,037.41
Public administration: $1,818.38
Educational services: $1,757.99
Healthcare and social assistance: $1,613.59
Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services: $1,561.01
Construction: $1,545.32
Service-producing industries: $1,538.33
Accommodation and food services: $780.58
Trade: $758.78
Source: Statistics Canada