Ottawa, Jan 8 (IANS): Canadian unemployment rate edged down to 5.9 per cent in December from the previous month's 6 per cent, according to Statistics Canada.

It was the lowest unemployment rate since February 2020 when it was 5.7 per cent, reports Xinhua news agency.

Full-time employment rose by 123,000, or 0.8 per cent while part-time employment declined by 68,000, or 1.9 per cent, the official data showed.

Canada registered 55,000 more jobs in December 2021, up 0.3 per cent from the previous month, due to gains in the goods-producing sector, which saw a rise of 44,000 jobs.

Statistics Canada attributes the rise to the construction and educational services industries.

The construction industry added 27,000 jobs in December, its first increase since August, but still remains 41,000 below the pre-Covid-19 level.

Educational services increased 17,000 jobs.

Average hourly wages in the country were up 2.7 per cent compared with a year earlier.