Unemployment rate 7.9 per cent in June

According to Statistics Finland’s Labour Force Survey, the number of unemployed persons in June 2012 was 223,000, which was 15,000 lower than one year ago. At 7.9 per cent, the unemployment rate was 0.5 percentage points lower than one year earlier. The number of employed persons was the same as in June of the previous year. The unemployment rate in the second quarter (April to June) was 8.6 per cent, which was 0.2 percentage points lower than in the respective quarter of 2011.

Unemployment rate and trend of unemployment rate 1989/01 – 2012/06

In June 2012, the number of employed persons was 2,581,000, which was the same as a year earlier (margin of error ą 32,000). There were 14,000 fewer employed men and 14,000 more employed women than in June 2011. The number of employees decreased but that of self-employed persons increased.

In June, the employment rate , that is, the proportion of the employed among persons aged 15 to 64, was 71.7 per cent, or the same as one year earlier. Adjusted for seasonal and random variation, the trend of the employment rate was 68.9 per cent. From June of the previous year, women's employment rate rose by 0.6 percentage points to 69.9 per cent. Men's employment rate fell and stood at 73.5 per cent.

According to the Labour Force Survey of Statistics Finland, there were 223,000 unemployed in June 2012, or 15,000 fewer than in June of the year before (margin of error ą 17,000). The number of unemployed men was 113,000 and that of women 109,000.

At 7.9 per cent, the unemployment rate in June was 0.5 percentage points lower than one year earlier. Men’s unemployment rate was 7.8 per cent and women’s 8.1 per cent. The trend of the unemployment rate was 7.4 per cent. This June, the unemployment rate among young people aged 15 to 24 was 17.6 per cent, which was 2.8 percentage points lower than in the previous year’s June. The trend of the unemployment rate among young people was 17.8 per cent.

Changes in employment 2011/06 – 2012/06 according to Statistics Finland’s Labour Force Survey, population aged 15 to 74

	Year/Month		Change
	2011/06	2012/06	2011/06 - 2012/06
	1000 persons		Per cent, %
Population total	4 058	4 074	0,4
Active population total	2 818	2 803	–0,5
Employed	2 581	2 581	0,0
– employees	2 247	2 235	–0,6
– self-employed persons and unpaid family workers	334	346	3,7
Unemployed	237	223	–6,1
Inactive population	1 240	1 271	2,5
	Per cent, %		Percentage points
Employment rate, persons aged 15 to 64	71,7	71,7	0,0
Unemployment rate	8,4	7,9	–0,5
Activity rate	69,4	68,8	–0,6
Unrounded figures are used in the Change column. The data comply with the ILO/EU definition.

Labour Force Survey data for the second quarter of 2012

In the second quarter (April to June) of 2012, the average number of employed persons was 2,524,000, or 7,000 higher than in the corresponding quarter of 2011. The number of employed persons increased most in human health and social work activities and decreased in the activity group of transport and warehousing.

The average number of unemployed persons in the second quarter of 2012 was 238,000, which was 6,000 lower than in the April to June period of 2011. The unemployment rate in the second quarter of the year was 8.6 per cent, which was 0.2 percentage points lower than in the respective quarter of 2011.

The number of hours worked by employed persons was 1.4 per cent lower in the second quarter of 2012 than twelve months previously.

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

	Year/Quarter		Change
	2011/II	2012/II	2011/II - 2012/II
	1000 persons		Per cent (%)
Active population total	2 761	2 762	0,1
Employed persons total	2 517	2 524	0,3
Unemployed total	244	238	–2,3
– men	136	134	–1,1
– women	108	104	–3,8
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 June 2012, there were altogether 257,000 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 5,000 higher than in June 2011.

Unemployment decreased from June of the previous year in the areas of four Employment and Economic Development (ELY) Centres; by most in Satakunta (–4%) and North Savo (–1%). The number of unemployed job seekers grew by most in North Karelia (6%), Central Finland (5%), Lapland (5%) and Ĺland (7%). At the end of June, the number of temporarily laid off persons registered at the employment and economic development offices was 11,000, or the same as twelve months earlier.

The total number of persons covered by labour market policy measures was 101,000 at the end of June, which was the same as in June of the year before. Altogether 3.6 per cent of the labour force was covered by labour market policy measures.

There were 36,000 unemployed job seekers aged under 25 registered at the employment and economic development offices. Their number was 2,000 higher than in last year's June. During this June, 35,000 new vacancies were reported to the employment and economic development offices, which is 8,000 fewer than in June 2011.

Changes 2011/06– 2012/06 according to the Employment Service Statistics of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy

	Year/Month		Change
	2011/06	2012/06	2011/06 - 2012/06
	1000 persons		Per cent, %
Unemployed job seekers	253	257	1,9
– unemployed over a year	57	61	6,5
Total measures	101	101	–0,4
– employed with subsidised measures	37	31	–14,4
– in labour market training	25	23	–7,2
– in trainee and job alternation places	19	21	9,6
– in rehabilitative work, self-motivated studies (supported by unemployment benefit)	21	26	22,9
New vacancies at employment and economic development offices	38	35	–7,0
Unrounded figures are used in the Change column.

Contact information for the Ministry of Employment and the Economy: 
Petri Syvänen, tel. +358 29 504 8050, http://www.tem.fi/employmentbulletin

Links

Labour Force Survey tables in databases

Employment improved in 2011

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, June. Statistics Finland

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

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

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Tables

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Appendix tables

Figures

Appendix figure 1. Employed and trend of employed (24.7.2012)
Appendix figure 2. Employment rate and trend of employment rate (24.7.2012)
Appendix figure 3. Unemployed and trend of unemployed (24.7.2012)
Appendix figure 4. Unemployment rate and trend of unemployment rate (24.7.2012)

Quality descriptions

Quality Description: Labour force survey (24.7.2012)

Updated 24.07.2012

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Labour force survey [e-publication].
ISSN=1798-7857. June 2012. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 16.11.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/tyti/2012/06/tyti_2012_06_2012-07-24_tie_001_en.html