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Published: 22 May 2012

Unemployment rate 8.4 per cent in April

According to Statistics Finland’s Labour Force Survey, the number of unemployed persons in April was 226,000, which was 6,000 higher than one year ago. In April 2012, the unemployment rate was 8.4 per cent, having been 8.2 per cent in April of the year before. There were 9,000 more employed than in April of the previous year.

Unemployment rate and trend of unemployment rate 1989/01–2012/04

Unemployment rate and trend of unemployment rate 1989/01–2012/04

In April 2012, the number of employed persons was 2,468,000, which was 9,000 higher than a year earlier (margin of error ± 31,000). There were 4,000 fewer employed men and 13,000 more employed women than in April 2011. The number of employed persons grew in the private sector but fell in the public sector.

In April, the employment rate , that is, the proportion of the employed among persons aged 15 to 64, stood at 68.5 per cent, which was 0.3 percentage points higher than one year earlier. Adjusted for seasonal and random variation, the trend of the employment rate was 69.2 per cent. From last year's April, employment rate rose by 0.8 percentage points to 68.2 per cent among women but fell by 0.3 percentage points to 68.7 per cent among men.

According to the Labour Force Survey, there were 226,000 unemployed in April 2012, i.e. 6,000 more than in April of the year before (margin of error ± 17 000). The number of unemployed men was 137,000 and that of women 89,000.

At 8.4 per cent, the unemployment rate in April was 0.2 percentage points higher than one year earlier. Men’s unemployment rate was 9.8 per cent and women’s 6.9 per cent. The trend of the unemployment rate was 7.7 per cent. In April, the unemployment rate among young people aged 15 to 24 was 23.5 per cent, or the same as in April of the year before. The trend of the unemployment rate among young people was 19.2 per cent.

Changes in employment 2011/04–2012/04 according to Statistics Finland’s Labour Force Survey, population aged 15 to 74

  Year/Month Change
2011/04 2012/04 2011/04 - 2012/04
1000 persons Per cent, %
Population total 4 055 4 072 0,4
Active population total 2 678 2 693 0,6
Employed 2 458 2 468 0,4
– employees 2 142 2 133 –0,4
– self-employed persons and unpaid family workers 316 335 6,0
Unemployed 220 226 2,5
Inactive population 1 377 1 379 0,1
  Per cent, % Percentage points
Employment rate, persons aged 15–64 68,2 68,5 0,3
Unemployment rate 8,2 8,4 0,2
Activity rate 66,0 66,1 0,1
Unrounded figures are used in the Change column.
The data comply with the ILO/EU definition.

Employment Service Statistics of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy

At the end of April 2012, there were altogether 239,000 persons registered in accordance with the Employment Office Regulations as job seekers at the employment and economic development offices. The number of unemployed job seekers was 2,000 higher than in April 2011.

Unemployment decreased from April of the previous year in the areas of seven Employment and Economic Development (ELY) Centres; by most in Pirkanmaa (–5%), Satakunta (–4%) and Southwest Finland (–3%). The number of unemployed job seekers grew by most in North Karelia (10%), South Ostrobothnia (6%), Lapland (6%) and Åland (7%). At the end of April, the number of temporarily laid off persons registered at the employment and economic development offices was 16,000, or the same as twelve months earlier.

The total number of persons covered by labour market policy measures was 115,000 at the end of April, or the same as in April of the year before. Altogether 4.3 per cent of the labour force was covered by labour market policy measures.

There were 28,000 unemployed job seekers aged under 25 registered at the employment and economic development offices. Their number was 1,000 higher than in last year's April. During this April, 48,000 new vacancies were reported to the employment and economic development offices, which is 2,000 more than in April 2011.

Changes 2011/04– 2012/04 according to the Employment Service Statistics of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy

  Year/Month Change
2011/04 2012/04 2011/04 - 2012/04
1000 persons Per cent, %
Unemployed job seekers 238 239 0,7
– unemployed over a year 57 60 4,4
Total measures 115 115 –0,3
– employed with subsidised measures 37 32 –14,1
– in labour market training 36 31 –12,7
– in trainee and job alternation places 20 22 13,6
– in rehabilitative work, self-motivated studies (supported by unemployment benefit) 23 30 29,1
New vacancies at employment and economic development offices 47 48 3,4
Unrounded figures are used in the Change column.

Contact information for the Ministry of Employment and the Economy:

Petri Syvänen, tel. +358 10 604 8050, http://www.tem.fi/employmentbulletin

Links

Employment improved in 2011

Labour Force Survey tables in databases (containing annual averages for 2011)

Labour Force Survey 2010, Time series data 2001-2010

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

About seasonally adjusted trend

Latest seasonally adjusted employment figures published by the EU can be found on Eurostat's home page http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu

Job vacancy survey


Source: Labour force survey 2012, April. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Veli Rajaniemi 09 1734 3434, Kirsi Toivonen 09 1734 3535, Kalle Sinivuori 09 1734 3524, tyovoimatutkimus@stat.fi

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

Publication in pdf-format (456.5 kB)

Tables

Tables in databases

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Appendix tables

Figures
Quality descriptions

Updated 22.05.2012

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Labour force survey [e-publication].
ISSN=1798-7857. April 2012. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 16.12.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/tyti/2012/04/tyti_2012_04_2012-05-22_tie_001_en.html