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Published: 20 May 2014

Unemployment rate 9.0 per cent in April

According to Statistics Finland’s Labour Force Survey, the number of unemployed persons in April 2014 was 241,000, which was slightly more than one year ago. The unemployment rate was 9.0 per cent, having been 8.8 per cent in April of the year before. There were 18,000 fewer employed persons than in April of the previous year. The number of persons in the inactive population was 25,000 higher in April 2014 than one year earlier.

Unemployment rate and trend of unemployment rate 2004/04 – 2014/04

Unemployment rate and trend of unemployment rate 2004/04 – 2014/04

In April 2014, the number of employed persons was 2,448,000, which was 18,000 lower than a year earlier (margin of error ±32,000). There were 16,000 fewer employed men and nearly as many employed women as in April 2013. The number of employed persons decreased in the private sector and grew in the public sector compared with April 2013.

In April 2014, the employment rate , that is, the proportion of the employed among persons aged 15 to 64, stood at 68.3 per cent, having been 68.7 per cent one year earlier. Men’s employment rate was 67.6 per cent and women’s 69.0 per cent. Adjusted for seasonal and random variation, the trend of the employment rate was 68.4 per cent.

According to Statistics Finland's Labour Force Survey, there were 241,000 unemployed in April 2014, which was slightly more than one year earlier (margin of error ±19,000). The number of unemployed men was 142,000 and that of women 99,000.

At 9.0 per cent, the unemployment rate in April was 0.1 percentage points higher than one year earlier. Men’s unemployment rate was 10.3 per cent and women’s 7.6 per cent. The trend of the unemployment rate was 8.5 per cent.

The number of young people aged 15 to 24 was 653,000 in April. Of them, 241,000 were employed and 83,000 unemployed. Thus, the labour force of young people (employed and unemployed) totalled 324,000. In April, the unemployment rate for young people aged 15 to 24, that is, the proportion of the unemployed among the labour force, stood at 25.6 per cent, which was 1.2 percentage points higher than one year previously. The trend of the unemployment rate among young people was 21.0 per cent. The share of unemployed young people aged 15 to 24 among the population in the same age group was 12.7 per cent.

There were 1,405,000 persons in the inactive population in April 2014, which was 25,000 more than in April 2013. Of the inactive population, 115,000 persons were in disguised unemployment .

Changes in employment 2013/04 – 2014/04 according to Statistics Finland’s Labour Force Survey, population aged 15 to 74

  Year/Month Change
2013/04 2014/04 2013/04 - 2014/04
1000 persons Per cent, %
Population total 4 084 4 094 0,2
Active population total 2 705 2 689 –0,6
Employed 2 466 2 448 –0,7
– employees 2 118 2 093 –1,2
– self-employed persons and unpaid family workers 348 355 2,0
Unemployed 239 241 0,9
Inactive population 1 379 1 405 1,8
– Persons in disguised unemployment 112 115 3,0
  Per cent, % Percentage points
Employment rate, persons aged 15 to 64 68,7 68,3 –0,4
Unemployment rate 8,8 9,0 0,1
Activity rate 66,2 65,7 –0,5
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 2014, there were altogether 307,000 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 28,000 higher than in April 2013.

Unemployment increased from the previous year's April in the areas of all other Employment and Economic Development Centres except in North Karelia (-1%): most in Uusimaa (18%), Kainuu (13%) and Central Finland (13%). At the end of April, the number of temporarily laid off persons registered at the employment and economic development offices was 26,000, which was 5,000 higher than twelve months earlier.

The number of persons engaged in services included in the activation stage totalled 130,000 at the end of April, which was 20,000 more than in April of the year before. Altogether, 4.8 per cent of the labour force was covered by labour market policy services.

There were 38,000 unemployed job seekers aged under 25 registered at the employment and economic development offices. Their number was 3,000 higher than in last year's April. During April, 43,000 new vacancies were reported to the employment and economic development offices, which is 2,000 fewer than in April 2013.

Changes 2013/04 – 2014/04 according to the Employment Service Statistics of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy

  Year/Month Change
2013/04 2014/04 2013/04 - 2014/04
1000 persons Per cent, %
Unemployed job seekers 1) 279 307 10,0
– unemployed over a year 69 87 25,2
Services, total 109 130 18,3
– employed 29 38 28,2
– in labour market training, in training 30 32 5,9
– in trainee places, engaged in work/training trials 13 13 1,2
– as a job alternation substitute, in rehabilitative work, self-motivated studies supported by unemployment benefit 37 47 26,5
New vacancies at employment and economic development offices 46 43 –5,0
Unrounded figures are used in the Change column.
1) The law reform that entered into force at the beginning of 2013 and the change in the lay-off procedure on 1 July increase the number of unemployed job seekers somewhat.

Links: Law reform 1 January 2013
Change in the lay-off procedure 1 July 2013

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

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

Comparison between the statistics of Statistics Finland and the Ministry of Employment and the Economy

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

Job vacancies


Source: Labour force survey 2014, April. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Joanna Viinikka 09 1734 3796, Veli Rajaniemi 09 1734 3434, tyovoimatutkimus@stat.fi

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

Publication in pdf-format (464.6 kB)

Tables

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Appendix tables

Figures
Quality descriptions

Updated 20.5.2014

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Labour force survey [e-publication].
ISSN=1798-7857. April 2014. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 16.11.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/tyti/2014/04/tyti_2014_04_2014-05-20_tie_001_en.html