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Published: 25 September 2012

Unemployment rate 7.3 per cent in August


Corrected on 25 September 2012 at 10.15. The correction is indicated in red, was previously 2,522,000.

According to Statistics Finland’s Labour Force Survey, the number of unemployed persons in August 2012 was 199,000, which was 22,000 higher than one year ago. At 7.3 per cent, the unemployment rate was 0.7 percentage points higher than one year earlier. The number of employed persons was nearly the same as in August of the previous year.

Unemployment rate and trend of unemployment rate 1989/01–2012/08

Unemployment rate and trend of unemployment rate 1989/01–2012/08

In August 2012, the number of employed persons was 2,526,000 , which was 3,000 higher than a year earlier (margin of error ± 31,000). The number of employees went down but that of self-employed persons grew compared with August 2011.

This August, the employment rate, that is, the proportion of the employed among persons aged 15 to 64, stood at 70.0 per cent, which was 0.2 percentage points higher than one year before. Adjusted for seasonal and random variation, the trend of the employment rate was 69.2 per cent. The employment rate for women rose by 0.7 percentage points from last year’s August to 69.3 per cent. The employment rate for men fell by 0.3 percentage points to 70.7 per cent.

According to the Labour Force Survey, there were 199,000 unemployed in August 2012, i.e. 22,000 more than in August of the year before (margin of error ± 17,000). The number of unemployed men was 104,000 and that of women 96,000.

At 7.3 per cent, the  unemployment rate in August was 0.7  percentage points higher than one year earlier. Men’s unemployment rate was 7.4 per cent and women’s 7.2 per cent. The trend of the unemployment rate was 8.0 per cent. This August, the unemployment rate among young people aged 15 to 24 was 13.5 per cent, which was 0.5 percentage points higher than in August 2011. The trend of the unemployment rate among young people was 18.5 per cent.

Changes in employment 2011/08–2012/08 according to Statistics Finland’s Labour Force Survey, population aged 15 to 74

  Year/Month Change
2011/08 2012/08 2011/08 - 2012/08
1000 persons Per cent, %
Population total 4 060 4 076 0,4
Active population total 2 700 2 725 0,9
Employed 2 522 2 526 0,1
– employees 2 197 2 186 –0,5
– self-employed persons and unpaid family workers 326 340 4,3
Unemployed 177 199 12,3
Inactive population 1 361 1 351 –0,7
  Per cent, % Percentage points
Employment rate, persons aged 15–64 69,8 70,0 0,2
Unemployment rate 6,6 7,3 0,7
Activity rate 66,5 66,9 0,4
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 August 2012, there were altogether 246,000 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 11,000 higher than in last year's August.

Unemployment decreased from August of the previous year only in the area of the Employment and Economic Development (ELY) Centre of North Savo (0%). The number of unemployed job seekers grew by most in North Karelia (11%), South Savo (9%), North Ostrobothnia (8%) and Åland (8%). At the end of August, the number of temporarily laid off persons registered at the employment and economic development offices was 10,000, which was 2,000 more than twelve months earlier.

The number of persons covered by labour market policy measures totalled 100,000 at the end of August, which was 2,000 fewer than in August of the year before. Altogether 3.7 per cent of the labour force was covered by labour market policy measures.

There were 32,000 unemployed job seekers aged under 25 registered at the employment and economic development offices. Their number was 2,000 higher than in last year's August. During this August, 42,000 new vacancies were reported to the employment and economic development offices, which is 7,000 fewer than in August 2011.

Changes 2011/08– 2012/08 according to the Employment Service Statistics of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy

  Year/Month Change
2011/08 2012/08 2011/08 - 2012/08
1000 persons Per cent, %
Unemployed job seekers 235 246 4,8
– unemployed over a year 57 63 10,0
Total measures 103 100 –2,3
– employed with subsidised measures 35 30 –14,2
– in labour market training 25 24 –3,1
– in trainee and job alternation places 18 19 4,1
– in rehabilitative work, self-motivated studies (supported by unemployment benefit) 25 27 11,2
New vacancies at employment and economic development offices 49 42 –14,3
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

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, August. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Kirsi Toivonen 09 1734 3535, Kalle Sinivuori 09 1734 3524, Veli Rajaniemi 09 1734 3434, tyovoimatutkimus@stat.fi

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

Publication in pdf-format (479.7 kB)

Tables

Tables in databases

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Appendix tables

Figures
Quality descriptions

Updated 25.09.2012

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Labour force survey [e-publication].
ISSN=1798-7857. August 2012. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 29.3.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/tyti/2012/08/tyti_2012_08_2012-09-25_tie_001_en.html