17 March, 1998
Employment and unemployment in February 1998
- Nearly 60 000 more jobs than a year ago
- Rate of unemployment 13.2 per cent, 328 000 unemployed
- 19 000 new vacancies at labour exchange offices
According to the Labour Force Survey of Statistics Finland, there were nearly 60 000 more employed this February than a year ago. Permanent, full-time jobs increased by about 29 000 in the year to February. During February, over 19 000 new vacancies were reported to the labour exchange offices, which is slightly more than in the corresponding period last year.
Jobs increased in construction, education, and social and other services. Employment improved most in the Province of Western Finland.
According to the Labour Force Survey, there were 328 000 unemployed in February, which is 65 000 fewer than a year ago. The rate of unemployment was 13.2 per cent, having fallen by 2.6 percentage points from last year's February. The number of discouraged workers and those in disguised unemployment increased by 21 000.
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| Changes in the labour force 2/1997 - 2/1998, 1 000 persons | ||||
| February | February | CHANGE, % | ||
| 1998 | 1997 | 2/97 - 2/98 | ||
| Statistics Finland Labour Force Survey: | ||||
| Employed, total | 2 153 | 2 094 | 2.8 | |
| - wage earners | 1 841 | 1 782 | 3.3 | |
| Unemployed 1
Labour force, total |
328
2 481 |
394
2 488 |
-16.7
-0.3 |
|
| Unemployment rate, % | 13.2 | 15.8 | -2.6 2 | |
| Economically inactive, total | 1 391 | 1 368 | 1.7 | |
| - discouraged workers | 21 | 13 | 66.9 | |
| - other disguised unemployment | 67 | 54 | 22.4 | |
| Ministry of Labour Employment Exchange Statistics: | ||||
| Unemployed job seekers | 396 | 438 | -9.6 | |
| - unemployed over a year | 120 | 129 | -7.0 | |
| Employed with subsidised measures | 57 | 61 | -6.1 | |
| In labour market training | 46 | 49 | -5.6 | |
| In trainee and job alternation places. | 15 | 14 | 8.3 | |
| New vacancies in labour exchange offices | 19 | 19 | 0.5 | |
| Unrounded figures are used in the
CHANGE column
1Based on the recommendations of the International Labour Organisation (ILO). |
2 percentage points | |||
At the end of February, there were 396 000 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 42 000 fewer than a year ago. Unemployment decreased in the areas of all employment and economic development centres. Approximately 4.8 per cent of the labour force were covered by subsidised employment policy measures.
Youth unemployment also diminished. According to the Labour Force Survey, the unemployment rate, that is, the proportion of the unemployed of the total labour force, among persons aged 15 to 24 was 23.7 per cent, which is about 2.6 percentage points lower than a year ago. Of this total age group, 9.3 per cent were unemployed. There were 45 000 unemployed job seekers aged under 25 registered at the labour exchange offices. This is about 10 000 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 Timo Koskimäki +358 9 1734
3517, Ms Päivi Keinänen +358 9 1734
3416, Ms Mirja Tiisanoja +358 9 1734 3226,
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