Saskatchewan’s month-over-month jobless rate dropped to 5.4 per cent in September, well below the national average of 6.5 per cent. Statistics Canada says the unemployment rate in August in Saskatchewan was 6.0 per cent. It is the second lowest unemployment rate in the country next only to Manitoba at 5 per cent.

In the provinces two major cities, Regina saw a slight increase month over month from 6.2 per cent to 6.4 per cent in September. Saskatoon saw a drop in the jobless rate from 6.6 per cent in August to 5.9 per cent in September.

StatsCan says fewer people were working in educational services, health care and social assistance as well as manufacturing in Canada in September, as well, the number of public sector employees continued to decline, by 70,000.

In addition, nationally, youth employment fell by 1.8 per cent for a second consecutive month in September.