Canada’s unemployment rate slipped to 6.4% in September from 6.5% the month before.

Statistics Canada today reported the unemployment rate for adult women fell to 5%, the lowest level in 30 years, while the rate for adult men held at 5.5%.

The government agency said employment edged up slightly in September (+16,000), following three months of little change. Since the beginning of the year, employment has increased by 210,000 (+1.3%).

StatsCan said employers created 31,000 new, part-time jobs last month. However, it added that 15,000 full-time positions, mainly in the Ontario manufacturing sector, disappeared.

So far in 2006, full-time employment has risen by 1.4%, a growth similar to the 1.3% increase in hours worked.

Saskatchewan created 7,000 new jobs in September, the fourth consecutive month in which employment hit a record high.

Newfoundland and Labrador also saw a healthy increase in employment.