29 STRAIGHT MONTHS OF FEWER PEOPLE ON REGULAR EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE

The number of Saskatchewan people collecting EI benefits dropped in August 2012 compared to August 2011. Seasonally adjusted, there were 9,890 beneficiaries receiving EI in August 2012, a decrease of 4.1 per cent from last year. This was the 29th consecutive month that there have been fewer regular EI beneficiaries on a year-over-year basis.

"Saskatchewan is fortunate to have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country right now, as there is an abundance of jobs for both entry-level and skilled workers," Economy Minister Bill Boyd said. "We're in a better position than many of the other provinces, and are confident that this can only attract more people to Saskatchewan from Canada and around the world."

There were 5,740 initial and renewal claims in the province, a 10.5 per cent decrease from last August. The number of claims provides an indication of the number of people who could become beneficiaries.

Saskatchewan had the second lowest number of regular EI beneficiaries as a percentage of the labour force population (1.2 per cent), below the national average of 1.9 per cent.

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For more information, contact:

Deb Young
Economy
Regina
Phone: 306-787-6315
Email: deb.young@enterprisesask.ca