Canada's unemployment rate slipped by 0.2 of a percentage point to 5.8% in July after rising in the previous month, while employment climbed by 54,000 to a seasonally adjusted 18.7 million, Statistics Canada said.

Educational services providers added 37,000 jobs. Employment in healthcare and social assistance increased by 31,000, while the information, culture and recreation industry added 12,000 new jobs.

The number of workers in manufacturing decreased by 18,000, and employment in construction declined by 12,000 in July.

Employment for public-sector employees rose by 50,000 jobs, while the number of employees in the private sector was virtually unchanged, according to the agency.

In the 12 months through July, employment increased by 246,000, driven largely by growth in full-time work. The total number of hours worked increased by 1.3%.