Unemployment rate 9.5 per cent in May

According to Statistics Finland’s Labour Force Survey, the number of unemployed persons in May 2012 was 266,000, which was 8,000 lower than one year ago. At 9.5 per cent, the unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points lower than one year earlier. The unemployment figures in the Labour Force Survey are at their highest in May when students enter the labour market. There were 13,000 more employed than in May of the previous year.

Unemployment rate and trend of unemployment rate 1989/01–2012/05

In May 2012, the number of employed persons was 2,525,000, which was 13,000 higher than a year earlier (margin of error ± 31,000). The number of employed men remained almost unchanged, but the number of employed women rose by 14,000 compared to the year before. The number of employed persons grew in the public sector and remained unchanged in the private sector.

In May, the employment rate , that is, the proportion of the employed among persons aged 15 to 64, stood at 69.9 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 69.2 per cent. From May of the previous year, women’s employment rate rose by 1.1 percentage points to 69.1 per cent and men’s by 0.2 percentage points to 70.6 per cent.

According to the Labour Force Survey of Statistics Finland, there were 266,000 unemployed in May 2012, i.e. 8,000 fewer than in May of the year before (margin of error ± 19,000). The number of unemployed men was 153,000 and that of women 114,000.

At 9.5 per cent, the unemployment rate in May was 0.3 percentage points lower than one year earlier. Men’s unemployment rate was 10.5 per cent and women’s 8.5 per cent. The trend of the unemployment rate was 7.5 per cent. In May, the unemployment rate among young people aged 15 to 24 was 30.7 per cent, which was 2.7 percentage points lower than in the previous year’s May. The trend of the unemployment rate among young people was 18.5 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 May, the trend adjusted for seasonal and random variation gives a better picture of the level of unemployment than monthly estimates.

Changes in employment 2011/05–2012/05 according to Statistics Finland’s Labour Force Survey, population aged 15 to 74

	Year/Month		Change
	2011/05	2012/05	2011/05 - 2012/05
	1000 persons		Per cent, %
Population total	4 057	4 073	0,4
Active population total	2 785	2 790	0,2
Employed	2 512	2 525	0,5
– employees	2 172	2 187	0,7
– self-employed persons and unpaid family workers	340	338	–0,7
Unemployed	274	266	–2,8
Inactive population	1 272	1 283	0,9
	Per cent, %		Percentage points
Employment rate, persons aged 15–64	69,2	69,9	0,6
Unemployment rate	9,8	9,5	–0,3
Activity rate	68,7	68,5	–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 May 2012, there were altogether 229,000 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 3,000 higher than in May 2011.

Unemployment decreased from May of the previous year in the areas of four Employment and Economic Development (ELY) Centres; by most in Satakunta (-6%) and Pirkanmaa (-5%). The number of unemployed job seekers grew by most in North Karelia (9%), North Ostrobothnia (6%) and Åland (10%). At the end of May, 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 number of persons covered by labour market policy measures totalled 113,000 at the end of May, which figure was the same as in the previous year's May. Altogether 4.0 per cent of the labour force was covered by labour market policy measures.

There were 27,000 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 May. During this May, 50,000 new vacancies were reported to the employment and economic development offices, which is 3,000 fewer than in May 2011.

Changes 2011/05– 2012/05 according to the Employment Service Statistics of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy

	Year/Month		Change
	2011/05	2012/05	2011/05 - 2012/05
	1000 persons		Per cent, %
Unemployed job seekers	227	229	1,2
– unemployed over a year	56	61	7,7
Total measures	113	113	–0,3
– employed with subsidised measures	38	33	–15,0
– in labour market training	32	28	–11,4
– in trainee and job alternation places	20	22	11,7
– in rehabilitative work, self-motivated studies (supported by unemployment benefit)	23	29	29,5
New vacancies at employment and economic development offices	53	50	–5,5
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, May. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Kirsi Toivonen 09 1734 3535, Ari Väisänen 09 1734 2290, Kalle Sinivuori 09 1734 3524, tyovoimatutkimus@stat.fi

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

Publication in pdf-format (25 pages 457.5 kB)

Tables

Tables in databases

Labour force survey (8 tables)

Appendix tables

Figures

Appendix figure 1. Employed and trend of employed (26.6.2012)
Appendix figure 2. Employment rate and trend of employment rate (26.6.2012)
Appendix figure 3. Unemployed and trend of unemployed (26.6.2012)
Appendix figure 4. Unemployment rate and trend of unemployment rate (26.6.2012)

Quality descriptions

Quality Description: Labour force survey (26.6.2012)

Updated 26.6.2012

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Labour force survey [e-publication].
ISSN=1798-7857. May 2012. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 21.5.2013].
Access method: http://tilastokeskus.fi/til/tyti/2012/05/tyti_2012_05_2012-06-26_tie_001_en.html.

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