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Published: 21 June 2011

Number of unemployed lower than one year ago

According to Statistics Finland’s Labour Force Survey, the number of unemployed persons in May was 274,000, which is 19,000 lower than one year ago. At 9.8 per cent, the unemployment rate was 0.7 percentage points lower than one year earlier. In the Labour Force Survey, May is an exceptional month and the unemployment figures are at their highest as students enter the labour market. The number of employed persons in May was 30,000 higher than in the year before.

Unemployment rate and trend of unemployment rate 1989/01 – 2011/05

Unemployment rate and trend of unemployment rate 1989/01 – 2011/05

In May 2011, the number of employed persons was 2,512,000, which was 30,000 higher than a year earlier. The number of employed men grew, but that of employed women fell. The number of employed persons increased in all other areas except for that of the Regional State Administrative Agency (AVI) of Eastern Finland.

In May, the employment rate , that is, the proportion of the employed among persons aged 15 to 64, stood at 69.2 per cent, which was 0.6 percentage points higher than one year before. Adjusted for seasonal and random variation, the trend of the employment rate was 68.5 per cent. The employment rate for men rose by 2.1 percentage points from last year’s May to 70.4 per cent. Women's employment rate fell and was 68.0 per cent.

According to the Labour Force Survey, there were 274,000 unemployed in May 2011, i.e. 19,000 fewer than in May of the year before. The number of unemployed men went down and that of unemployed women grew slightly. The number of unemployed women was still 20,000 lower than that of unemployed men.

At 9.8 per cent, the unemployment rate in May was 0.7 percentage points lower than one year earlier. Men’s unemployment rate was 10.1 per cent and women’s 9.5 per cent. The trend of the unemployment rate was 7.7 per cent. In May, the unemployment rate among young people aged 15 to 24 was 33.4 per cent, which was 1.8 percentage points lower than in the previous year’s May. The trend of the unemployment rate among young people was 19.9 per cent.

May is an exceptional month in the Labour Force Survey. Young people looking for a summer job and finishing their studies enter the labour market at the same time, which temporarily raises the number of unemployed and the unemployment rate. In registered unemployment (Labour Exchange Statistics), the definitions are different and seasonal variation also moves to a different rhythm. The number of the unemployed in the Labour Force Survey in May is usually 55,000 to 85,000 higher than the average for the year. The unemployment rate in May is at a 1.6 to 2.8-percentage point higher level than the annual average. In May, the trend adjusted for seasonal and random variation gives a better picture of the level of unemployment than monthly estimates. (See links). The number of unemployed usually returns close to the average level of the year in June.

The number of men in the inactive population decreased, but the number of women in the inactive population was 20,000 higher than one year previously.

Changes in employment 2010/05 – 2011/05 according to Statistics Finland’s Labour Force Survey, population aged 15 to 74

  Year/Month Change
2010/05 2011/05 2010/05 - 2011/05
1000 persons Per cent, %
Population total 4 042 4 057 0,4
Active population total 2 775 2 785 0,4
Employed 2 482 2 512 1,2
– employees 2 158 2 172 0,6
– self-employed persons and unpaid family workers 324 340 5,0
Unemployed 293 274 –6,5
Inactive population 1 267 1 272 0,4
  Per cent, % Percentage points
Employment rate, persons aged 15–64 68,6 69,2 0,6
Unemployment rate 10,5 9,8 –0,7
Activity rate 68,7 68,7 0,0
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 May 2011, there were altogether 227,000 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 25,000 lower than in May 2010.

Unemployment decreased from the previous year in the areas of all Employment and Economic Development Centres (ELY). The number of unemployed job seekers decreased most in South Ostrobothnia (-21%), Ostrobothnia (-19%) and North Savo (-15%). At the end of May, the number of temporarily laid off persons registered at the employment and economic development offices was 11,000, which was 7,000 lower than twelve months earlier.

The number of persons covered by labour market policy measures totalled 113,000 at the end of May, which was 12,000 more than in May of the year before. Altogether 4.1 per cent of the labour force was covered by labour market policy measures.

There were 26,000 unemployed job seekers aged under 25 registered at the employment and economic development offices. Their number was 6,000 lower than in last year's May. During this May, 53,000 new vacancies were reported to the employment and economic development offices, which is 15,000 more than in May 2010.

Changes 2010/05– 2011/05 according to the Employment Service Statistics of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy

  Year/Month Change
2010/05 2011/05 2010/05- 2011/05
1000 persons Per cent, %
Unemployed job seekers 252 227 –10,1
– unemployed over a year 52 56 8,0
Total measures 101 113 11,6
– employed with subsidised measures 35 38 11,2
– in labour market training 34 32 –5,5
– in trainee and job alternation places 22 20 –10,1
– in rehabilitative work, self-motivated studies (supported by unemployment benefit) 12 23 96,8
New vacancies at employment and economic development offices 38 53 38,9
Unrounded figures are used in the Change column.

Contact information for the Ministry of Employment and the Economy:
Mr Petri Syvänen, tel. +358 10 604 8050, http://www.tem.fi/employmentbulletin

Links

Employment relationships and working hours in 2010

Labour Force Survey 2010, Employment and unemployment in 2010

Updated tables of the Labour Force Survey: http://tilastokeskus.fi/til/tyti/tau_en.html

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: http://tilastokeskus.fi/til/tramo_seats_en.html

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: http://tilastokeskus.fi/til/atp/index_en.html


Source: Labour force survey 2011, Mayl. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Kalle Sinivuori (09) 1734 3524, Veli Rajaniemi (09) 1734 3434, Ari Väisänen (09) 1734 2290, tyovoimatutkimus@stat.fi

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

Publication in pdf-format (459.5 kB)

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Appendix tables

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Quality descriptions

Updated 21.6.2011

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Labour force survey [e-publication].
ISSN=1798-7857. May 2011. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 22.11.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/tyti/2011/05/tyti_2011_05_2011-06-21_tie_001_en.html