The unemployment rate stood at 6.1% in May, unchanged from the month before, Statistics Canada reported today.

Last month’s rate was up 0.1% from May 2007. There were 17.1 million Canadians working and 1.1 million unemployed last month.

Employment rose by just 8,400, down from gains of 19,000 in April and March. The gain in May was all in the 40,600 additional part-time jobs. Full-time employment fell by 32,200.

The number of Canadians over age 15 who were looking for work in May increased by 22,000, StatsCan said.

Manufacturing jobs rose, mainly in Ontario and Quebec, in May, when there were almost two million manufacturing workers, up 34,000 from April, but down 66,000 from May 2007 and by 344,000 from late 2002.

Quebec employment rose by 18,000 last month, the only province to post a big gain, with 14,000 jobs added in manufacturing. But the province’s unemployment rate was still 7.5%, and employment growth over the past year was just 1.2%, well below the national two% rate.

About 35,000 more women over 25 were working in May, while the number of employed men was unchanged and the number of youths working declined.

“The participation rate for adult women reached an all-time high of 62.4% in May,” the agency said.

The unemployment rate for youth was 11.9%, for men 5.1% and for women 4.9%.

Unemployment in the four western provinces was below the national average.

Total Canadian employment over the past year has risen by 339,000 or 2%, Statistics Canada said.

The average hourly wage was 4.8% above May 2007. Consumer prices are rising at about 1.7%.