Ottawa, Jun 10 (IANS): Canada's unemployment rate rose 0.2 percentage points to 5.2 per cent in May, the first increase in nine months, according to the national statistical agency.

Statistics Canada said on Friday that the unemployment rate among youths (aged 15 to 24) was 10.7 per cent in May, up 1.1 percentage points from April, reports Xinhua news agency.

Among people aged 55 and older, the unemployment rate edged up 0.2 percentage points to 4.1 per cent.

The unemployment rate for those in the core working age (25 to 54) was 4.3 per cent without monthly change.

Overall employment was little changed in May, as employment fell by 77,000 for youth, and it increased by 63,000 among people in the core working age, the national statistical agency said.

The employment rate, the percentage of people aged 15 and older who are employed, declined by 0.3 percentage points to 62.1 percent in May.

This reflected strong population growth in the month and little change in employment, Statistics Canada noted.

The number of employees held steady in the private and public sector, while there was a decline in the number of self-employed workers, the national statistical agency added.