New Brunswick's jobless rate dipped to 10.8 per cent in December as 3,600 people left the labour force, Statistics Canada reported on Friday.

The province's unemployment rate hit 10.8 per cent, which is the second straight month of decline. It stood at 11.2 per cent in November, 11.6 per cent in October and 11 per cent in September.

However, Statistics Canada data show 3,600 people left the labour force and 1,600 jobs were lost in between November and December.

The unemployment rates in New Brunswick's two largest cities are going in opposite directions.

Moncton's jobless rate dropped to 6.5 per cent in December from 7.1 per cent in November.

Meanwhile, Saint John's unemployment rate climbed to 9.9 per cent from 9.3 per cent.

There were 74,200 people employed in Moncton in December compared to 61,600 people in Saint John.

Southeastern New Brunswick and the capital region were the only regions to see a drop in unemployment in the last month, according to Statistics Canada.

In the Moncton-Rogersville region, the jobless rate dropped to 7.5 per cent from eight per cent in November.

Meanwhile, the unemployment rate in the Fredericton-Oromocto area dropped to 7.9 per cent from 8.1 per cent in November.

The jobless rate held steady at 9.3 per cent in the Edmundston-Woodstock area between November and December.

The economic situation worsened in the other economic zones in the province.

Northern New Brunswick still has the highest unemployment rate in New Brunswick. The unemployment rate in Campbellton-Miramichi was 17.6 per cent in December up from 16.6 per cent the previous month.

The unemployment rate in the Saint John-St. Stephen area hit double digits in December.

The jobless rate climbed to 10.1 per cent in December from 9.2 per cent in the previous month.