Employment and unemployment in January 1998

- Nearly 70 000 more jobs than a year ago
- Rate of unemployment 13.8 per cent, 340 000 unemployed
- 18 000 new vacancies in labour exchange offices

According to the Labour Force Survey of Statistics Finland, there were nearly 70 000 more employed this January than a year ago. Jobs increased in southern Finland. During January, over 18 000 new vacancies were reported to the labour exchange offices. This is 3 000 more than in the corresponding period last year.

The number of wage earners increased by 68 000. Of all wage earners 78 per cent were in permanent, full-time jobs. There were approximately 48 000 more permanent, full time jobs than a year ago. There were 258 000 part-time workers in January, of whom 104 000 would have preferred a full-time job.

According to the Labour Force Survey, there were 340 000 unemployed in January, which is approximately 70 000 fewer than a year ago. The rate of unemployment was 13.8 per cent, having fallen by 2.9 percentage points from last year's January. However, discouraged workers and those in disguised unemployment numbered 30 000 more than a year ago.

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Changes in employment 1/1997 - 1/1998, 1 000 persons
	January	January		CHANGE, %
	1998	1997		1/97 - 1/98
Statistics Finland Labour Force Survey:
Employed, total	2 119	2 051		3.4
- wage earners	1 819	1 751		3.9
Unemployed ¹	340	411		-17.3
Labour force, total	2 460	2 462		-0.1
Unemployment rate, %	13.8	16.7		-2.9 ²
Economically inactive, total	1 412	1 394		1.3
- discouraged workers	22	10		119.5
- other disguised unemployment	82	64		26.5

Ministry of Labour Employment Exchange Statistics:
Unemployed job seekers	405	453		-10.6
- unemployed over a year	123	133		-7.5
Employed with subsidised measures	58	60		-3.3
In labour market training	45	44		2.6
In trainee and job alternation places	14	13		8.2

New vacancies in labour exchange offices	18	15		20.9
Unrounded figures are used in the CHANGE column ¹ Based on the recommendations of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).			² percentage points

At the end of January, there were 405 000 persons registered, in accordance with the Unemployment Security Act and the Labour Exchange Office Regulations, as job applicants at the labour exchange offices. This is 48 000 fewer than a year ago. Unemployment decreased in the areas of all economic development centres. Approximately 5.0 per cent of the labour force were covered by subsidised employment policy measures.

According to the Labour Force Survey, the unemployment rate, that is the proportion of the unemployed of the labour force, among persons aged 15 to 24 was 28.4 per cent, which is 2.6 percentage points higher than a year ago. Of this total age group, 10.3 per cent were unemployed. There were 48 000 unemployed job seekers aged under 25 registered at the labour exchange offices. This is 12 000 fewer than a year ago.

Differences between the Labour Force Survey and the Labour Exchange Statistics

The employment situation is monitored monthly both with the sample-based Labour Force Survey of Statistics Finland and with the register-based Labour Exchange Statistics of the Ministry of Labour. Calculations in the Labour Exchange Statistics are based on the status quo on the last working day of the month, whereas the Labour Force Survey describes the week that includes the 15th day of the month.

The Labour Force Survey follows the recommendations of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The Labour Exchange Statistics are based on legislation and administrative regulations.

The Labour Force Survey and the Labour Exchange Statistics apply two basically different statistical criteria to how actively a person seeks work and makes him/herself available on the labour market. For this reason, the number of unemployed job seekers does not agree with the number of unemployed calculated in accordance with the ILO recommendations. Unemployed persons who have neither contacted a labour exchange office for over three months, nor actively sought work in any other way either, are generally classified in the Labour Force Survey as belonging to disguised unemployment. However, in compliance with the ILO recommendations, the Survey also classifies as unemployed persons seeking jobs by means other than through labour exchange offices.

In the Labour Force Survey, persons who could accept a job but are not actively seeking one are classified as belonging to disguised unemployment. The Survey divides disguised unemployment into two categories: discouraged workers are those who do not seek work because they do not think they would find any. Other disguised unemployment consists of persons who do not seek work because of studies, child care or some other reason, although they would be prepared to accept work if it were offered. In accordance with the ILO recommendations, all persons in disguised unemployment are classified in the Survey as not belonging to the labour force.

In EU statistics, public labour exchange customers are required to have visited a labour exchange office in the past month. Therefore, figures published by the EU differ to some extent from those of the Labour Force Survey.

Since the Labour Force Survey is a sample survey, its data allow for random variation. In respect of the unemployment rate, for example, the 95 per cent confidence interval is plus/minus 0.5 percentage points. The confidence interval for the number of unemployed is approximately plus/minus 14 500 persons.

Inquiries:
Statistics Finland: Mr Tapio Oksanen +358 9 1734 3228, Mr Hannu Siitonen +358 9 1734 3225, Mr Timo Koskimäki +358 9 1734 3517, e-mail timo.koskimaki@stat.fi
Ministry of Labour: Mr Oiva Lönnberg +358 9 1856 8048, e-mail oiva.lonnberg@pt2.tempo.mol.fi; Internet http://www.mol.fi/tilasto/tk