Measures taken this spring to halt the spread of COVID-19 have caused significant job losses across the country.

This morning, Statistics Canada reported that employment dropped by 207,000 in April. That included a reduction of 129,000 full-time jobs and 78,000 part-time jobs.

In addition, another 100,000 Canadians worked from home in April, lifting that number to 5.1 million.

This came after 400,000 jobs were added across the country in February and March.

The national unemployment rate now stands at 8.1 percent, up 0.6 percent from last month.

Statistics Canada also revealed that the unemployment rate rose 0.5 percent in April to 9.9 percent for 15- to 69-year-olds designated as visible minorities. 

For people of Southeast Asian ancestry, the unemployment rate rose 4.1 percent to 13.6 percent'; for Filipino Canadians, the jobless rate climed 1.4 percent to 6.3 percent.

In both groups, employment in accommodation and food services is higher than the national average, according to Statistics Canada.

In B.C., employment declined by 43,000 in April as a result of public-health measures implemented to stem the rise of the third wave of COVID-19 cases.

This marked the first time B.C. has lost jobs since last spring. The unemployment rate increased to 7.1 percent last month from 6.9 percent in March.

In Ontario, there were 153,000 fewer jobs.

New Brunswick and Saskatchewan, on the other hand, posted increases in employment.

More than two-thirds of all the jobs lost were in accommodation and food services.

Areas that saw increases in employment were public administration (up 15,000); professiona, scientific, and techical services (up 15,000); and finance, insurance, and real estate (up 15,000).