Canadian employers are starting to hire workers on a part-time basis again, newly-published figures show.

While the latest data released by Statistics Canada show that full-time positions are still being cut as the national economy continues to suffer from the global downturn, the number of opportunities offering around 30 hours of work a week has risen over the past few weeks.

At the same time, the latest official report highlights that the rate of employment in Canada dropped at a much faster rate at the start of the current crisis than in the months following the economic slumps of 1981 and 1990.

However, following on from the initial steep drop, rates of unemployment have remained relatively stable over recent months, while employment prospects in some sectors have already started to pick up.

In particular, the government agency has reported that health care, real estate and cultural sectors have all enjoyed modest employment gains over recent months, though workers in the manufacturing sector continue to suffer from limited opportunities and mounting losses.

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund has stated that Canada's domestic economy is steadily improving, noting that "now is the time for stimulus".