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Published: 22 November 2011

Unemployment rate 7.0 per cent in October

According to Statistics Finland’s Labour Force Survey, the number of unemployed persons in October was 186,000, which was 9,000 lower than one year ago. The unemployment rate in October was 7.0 per cent, having been 7.4 per cent twelve months earlier. There were 8,000 more employed persons than in October of the previous year.

Unemployment rate and trend of unemployment rate 1989/01 - 2011/10

Unemployment rate and trend of unemployment rate 1989/01 - 2011/10

In October 2011, the number of employed persons was 2,458,000, which was 8,000 higher than a year earlier. This change fits within the margin of error for the number of employed persons (±30,000). Employment increased among both men and women.

In October, the employment rate , that is, the proportion of the employed among persons aged 15 to 64, stood at 68.3 per cent, which was 0.4 percentage points higher than one year before. Adjusted for seasonal and random variation, the trend of the employment rate was 68.7 per cent. From last year’s October, men’s employment rate rose by 0.5 percentage points to 69.3 per cent and women’s by 0.3 percentage points to 67.2 per cent.

According to Statistics Finland's Labour Force Survey, there were 186,000 unemployed in October 2011, i.e. 9,000 fewer than in October of the year before. This change fits within the margin of error for the number of unemployed persons (±16,000). The number of unemployed men was 106,000 and that of women 79,000.

At 7.0 per cent, the unemployment rate was 0.3 percentage points lower in October than one year earlier. Men’s unemployment rate was 7.8 per cent and women’s 6.2 per cent. The trend of the unemployment rate was 7.7 per cent. In October 2011, the unemployment rate among young people aged 15 to 24 was 17.1 per cent, which was 1.5 percentage points lower than in October of the year before. The trend of the unemployment rate among young people was 19.9 per cent.

Changes in employment 2010/10–2011/10 according to Statistics Finland’s Labour Force Survey, population aged 15 to 74

  Year/Month Change
2010/10 2011/10 2010/10 - 2011/10
1000 persons Per cent, %
Population total 4 048 4 063 0,4
Active population total 2 644 2 644 0,0
Employed 2 450 2 458 0,3
– employees 2 124 2 142 0,9
– self-employed persons and unpaid family workers 326 316 –3,2
Unemployed 195 186 –4,6
Inactive population 1 404 1 420 1,1
  Per cent, % Percentage points
Employment rate, persons aged 15–64 67,9 68,3 0,4
Unemployment rate 7,4 7,0 –0,3
Activity rate 65,3 65,1 –0,3
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 October 2011, there were altogether 226,000 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 14,000 lower than in October of the year before.

Unemployment decreased from the previous year in the areas of all Employment and Economic Development Centres (ELY). In Åland, the number of unemployed job seekers grew from the previous year (2%). The number of unemployed job seekers declined most in Häme (–11%), Pirkanmaa (–10%), Ostrobothnia (–7%) and Uusimaa (–10%). At the end of October, the number of temporarily laid off persons registered at the employment and economic development offices was 10,000, which was 5,000 lower than twelve months earlier.

The total number of persons covered by labour market policy measures was 117,000 at end of October, which was 3,000 higher than in October of the year before. Altogether 4.4 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 2,000 lower than in last year's October. During this October, 38,000 new vacancies were reported to the employment and economic development offices, which is 3,000 more than in October 2010.

Changes 2010/10– 2011/10 according to the Employment Service Statistics of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy

  Year/Month Change
2010/10 2011/10 2010/10 - 2011/10
1000 persons Per cent, %
Unemployed job seekers 241 226 –5,9
– unemployed over a year 56 56 –0,6
Total measures 114 117 2,6
– employed with subsidised measures 37 35 –5,3
– in labour market training 38 33 –13,5
– in trainee and job alternation places 19 21 5,8
– in rehabilitative work, self-motivated studies (supported by unemployment benefit) 20 29 44,3
New vacancies at employment and economic development offices 35 38 8,2
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

Labour Force Survey 2010, Employment and unemployment in 2010

Labour Force Survey 2010, Employment relationships and working hours in 2010

Labour Force Survey 2010, Time series data 2001–2010

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 2011, October. Statistics Finland

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

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

Publication in pdf-format (457.5 kB)

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Updated 22.11.2011

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Labour force survey [e-publication].
ISSN=1798-7857. October 2011. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 29.3.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/tyti/2011/10/tyti_2011_10_2011-11-22_tie_001_en.html