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Published: 18 March 2008

Employment grew and unemployment fell in February 2008

According to the Labour Force Survey of Statistics Finland, the number of employed persons in February was 2 465 000, or 45 000 higher than a year earlier. Adjusted for seasonal and random variation, the trend of the number of employed persons was 55 000 more than a year earlier. In the private employer sector the number of employed persons went up by 47 000. The number of wage and salary earners was 59 000 higher than one year previously. The number of employed persons went up in the Provinces of Southern and Western Finland.

In February, the employment rate , that is, the proportion of the employed among persons aged 15 to 64, stood at 68,9 per cent, which was 0,8 percentage points higher than one year previously. The employment rate for men went up by 1,5 percentage points and was 70,5 per cent. The employment rate for women rose by 0,2 percentage points to 67,3 per cent. The trend of the employment rate was 70,6 per cent.

According to the Labour Force Survey, there were 168 000 unemployed in February 2008, i.e. 29 000 fewer than in February of the year before. At 6,4 per cent, the unemployment rate was 1,1 percentage points lower than one year before. The trend of the unemployment rate was 6,2 per cent in February.

The rate of unemployment was lowest in the Province of Southern Finland, where it stood at 5,7 per cent, and highest in the Province of Lapland, at 11,0 per cent. In February 2008, the unemployment rate among young people aged 15 to 24 was 16,5 per cent, which was three percentage points lower than in the previous year’s February. The trend of the unemployment rate among young people was 15,3 per cent.

Changes in the labour force 2008/02– 2007/02, thousand persons

  2008/02 2007/02 Change, %
2008/02 - 2007/02
Employed 2 465 2 420 1,9
Unemployed 168 197 -14,7
Labour force 2 633 2 617 0,6
Economically inactive 1 362 1 357 0,4
      Percentage points
Employment rate, % 68,9 68,1 0,8
Unemployment rate, % 6,4 7,5 -1,1
Labour force participation rate, % 65,9 65,9 0,1
Unrounded figures are used in the Change column.
The data are collected according to the ILO/EU definition.		      

 
Labour Force Survey content and data collection have been revised

As of the beginning of 2008, revisions have been introduced in the Labour Force Survey which broaden its data content. The definitions of some concepts have also been reviewed. The definitions of some concepts have also changed. The revisions are based on EU regulations and their aim is to improve the comparability of the Labour Force Surveys of different EU Member States.
http://tilastokeskus.fi/til/tyti/tyti_2008-02-19_men_001_en.html

Links: Press release connected to this statistical release (inclusive of data of Ministry of Employment and the Economy):
http://tilastokeskus.fi/ajk/tiedotteet/v2008/tiedote_008_2008-03-18_en.html


Source: Labour force survey 2008, February. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Juha Martikainen (09) 1734 3225, Pekka Tossavainen (09) 1734 3517, Veli Rajaniemi (09) 1734 3434, tyovoimatutkimus@stat.fi

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

Publication in pdf-format (421.2 kB)

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Updated 18.3.2008

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Labour force survey [e-publication].
ISSN=1798-7857. February 2008. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 5.11.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/tyti/2008/02/tyti_2008_02_2008-03-18_tie_001_en.html