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Published: 23 June 2009

Unemployment rate in May 2,1 percentage points higher than one year previously

According to the Labour Force Survey of Statistics Finland, the number of employed persons in May 2009 was 2 495 000, or 59 000 lower than one year earlier. The number of wage and salary earners decreased, whereas that of self-employed persons increased. The number of employed persons fell in all provinces except the Province of Eastern Finland.

In May 2009, the employment rate , that is, the proportion of the employed among persons aged 15 to 64, stood at 69,3 per cent, which was 2,0 percentage points lower than one year before. Adjusted for seasonal and random variation, the trend of the employment rate fell to 68,8 per cent.

The employment rate for men fell by 3,9 percentage points from last year’s May to 69,5 per cent. The employment rate for women stayed unchanged from the year before, at 69,2 per cent.

Changes in the labour force 2009/05 – 2008/05 according to Statistics Finland’s Labour Force Survey

  Year/Month Change
2009/05 2008/05 2009/05 - 2008/05
1000 persons Per cent (%)
Population aged 15-74 4 022 4001 0,5
Labour force, total 2 799 2 801 –0,1
Employed, total 2 495 2 554 –2,3
– employees 2 139 2 228 –4,0
– self-employed persons and unpaid family workers 355 325 9,3
Unemployed persons 304 247 23,2
Total persons not in labour force 1 224 1 201 1,9
  Per cent (%) Percentage points
Employment rate (persons aged 15 to 64), % 69,3 71,3 –2,0
Unemployment rate, % 10,9 8,8 2,1
Labour force participation rate, % 69,6 70,0 –0,4
Unrounded figures are used in the Change column.
The data comply with the ILO/EU definition.

According to the Labour Force Survey, there were 304 000 unemployed in May 2009, i.e. 57 000 more than in May of the year before. At 10,9 per cent, the unemployment rate was 2,1 percentage points higher in May than one year earlier.

Adjusted for seasonal and random variation, the trend of the unemployment rate rose to 8,6 per cent in May. At its lowest, roughly one year ago, the trend of the unemployment rate was 6,2 per cent.

The unemployment rate for men rose by 3,3 percentage points to 12,0 per cent, and that of women by 0,8 percentage points to 9,7 per cent. The rate of unemployment was lowest in the Province of Southern Finland, where it stood at 9,1 per cent, and highest in the Province of Lapland, at 19,1 per cent.

In May 2009, the unemployment rate among young people aged 15 to 24 was 38,3 per cent, which was 6,3 percentage points higher than in the previous year’s May. The trend of the unemployment rate among young people rose to 20,9 per cent. The unemployment rate of young people is pushed up in spring by students who enter the labour market (graduation and seeking summer jobs). The unemployment rate of young people usually returns close to the average level of the year in June. In May the level of unemployment among young people should be estimated primarily on the basis of the trend adjusted for seasonal and random variation, from which the seasonal variation repeating from year to year have been removed.

The number of persons not in the labour force was 23 000 higher in May than twelve months earlier.

Employment Service Statistics of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy

At the end of May 2009, there were altogether 245 000 persons registered, in accordance with the Unemployment Security Act and the Employment Office Regulations, as job seekers at the employment and economic development offices . The number of unemployed job seekers was 61 000 higher than in May 2008. Unemployment grew from the previous year in the areas of all Employment and Economic Development Centres. The number of unemployed job-seekers increased most in South Ostrobothnia (53 %), Pirkanmaa (44 %) and Ostrobothnia (41 %). At the end of May, the number of temporarily laid off persons registered at the employment and economic development offices was 30 000, which was 25 000 more than twelve months earlier. The number of persons covered by labour market policy measures totalled 85 000 the end of May, which was 1 000 fewer than in May of the year before. Altogether 3,0 per cent of the labour force were covered by labour market policy measures. There were 29 000 unemployed job seekers aged under 25 registered at the employment and economic development offices. Their number was 11 000 higher than in last year's May. During this May, 35 000 new vacancies were reported to the employment and economic development offices, which is 13 000 fewer than in May 2008.

Changes 2009/05 – 2008/05 according to the Employment Service Statistics of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy

  Year/Month Change
2009/05 2008/05 2009/05 - 2008/05
1000 persons Per cent (%)
Unemployed job seekers 245 184 33,0
– unemployed over a year 40 43 –8,5
Total measures 85 86 –1,4
– employed with subsidised measures 36 38 –6,0
– in labour market training 31 29 6,6
– in trainee and job alternation places 18 18 –4,5
New vacancies at employment and economic development offices 35 48 –26,1
Unrounded figures are used in the Change column.

Contact information for the Ministry of Employment and the Economy:
Mr Petri Syvänen, tel. +359 10 604 8050, http://www.tem.fi/employmentbulletin

Links

Differences between the Labour Force Survey and the Employment Service Statistics are explained in the quality description of the Labour Force Survey.

Latest seasonally adjusted employment figures published by the EU  can be found under the theme of Population and social conditions on Eurostat's home page http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu.

Latest release on the number of job vacancies: http://tilastokeskus.fi/til/atp/index_en.html


Source: Labour force survey 2009, May. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Juha Martikainen (09) 1734 3225, Kalle Sinivuori (09) 1734 3524, Veli Rajaniemi (09) 1734 3434, tyovoimatutkimus@stat.fi

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

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Updated 23.06.2009

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Labour force survey [e-publication].
ISSN=1798-7857. May 2009. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 28.3.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/tyti/2009/05/tyti_2009_05_2009-06-23_tie_001_en.html