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Published: 22 April 2008

Employment grew and unemployment fell in March 2008

According to the Labour Force Survey of Statistics Finland, the number of employed persons in March was 2 475 000, or 29 000 higher than a year earlier. The numbers of wage and salary earners and self-employed persons went up. Among wage and salary earners, the number of permanent, full-time employees increased and that of fixed-term employees decreased. The number of employed persons went up in the Provinces of Southern Finland and Oulu and fell in the Province of Eastern Finland.

In March, the employment rate , that is, the proportion of the employed among persons aged 15 to 64, stood at 69,0 per cent, which was 0,3 percentage points higher than one year before. The employment rate of men was 69,8 per cent and that of women 68,2 per cent. Adjusted for seasonal and random variation, the trend of the employment rate was 70,5 per cent.

According to the Labour Force Survey, there were 180 000 unemployed in March 2008, i.e. 23 000 fewer than in March of the year before. At 6,8 per cent, the unemployment rate was 0,9 percentage points lower than one year earlier. The trend of the unemployment rate was 6,2 per cent in March.

The unemployment rate was lowest in the Province of Southern Finland, where it stood at 4,8 per cent, and highest, at 12,4 per cent, in the Province of Eastern Finland. In March 2008, the unemployment rate among young people aged 15 to 24 was 17,1 per cent, which was 5,6 percentage points lower than in March of the year before. The trend of the unemployment rate among young people was 14,3 per cent.

According to the Labour Force Survey, the average number of employed persons i n the first quarter of 2008 was 2 474 000, which is 59 000 higher than in the respective time period of 2007. The number of wage and salary earners went up and that of self-employed persons remained nearly unchanged. The number of unemployed persons was 176 000, which is 22 000 fewer than in the January to March period of 2007.

Changes in the labour force 2008/03– 2007/03, thousand persons

  2008/03 2007/03 Change, %
2008/03 - 2007/03
Employed 2 475 2 446 1,2
Unemployed 180 203 -11,4
Labour force 2 655 2 648 0,3
Economically inactive 1 342 1 326 1,2
      Percentage points
Employment rate, % 69,0 68,7 0,3
Unemployment rate, % 6,8 7,7 -0,9
Labour force participation rate, % 66,4 66,6 -0,2
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

NB ! As from the beginning of 2008 the industry of temporary employment agency workers has been determined on the basis of the job held during the survey week, whereas previously all temporary employment agency workers were classified as belonging to the industry Labour hire activities 745 (see appendix tables 9.4, 9.5, 10.1 and 10.2. in this publication). The data can be obtained also according the previous classification.

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_009_2008-04-22_en.html


Source: Labour force survey 2008, March. Statistics Finland

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

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

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Updated 22.4.2008

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Labour force survey [e-publication].
ISSN=1798-7857. March 2008. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 28.12.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/tyti/2008/03/tyti_2008_03_2008-04-22_tie_001_en.html