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Published: 23 October 2012

Unemployment rate 7.1 per cent in September

According to Statistics Finland’s Labour Force Survey, the number of unemployed persons in September 2012 was 187,000, which was 7,000 higher than one year ago. The unemployment rate was 7.1 per cent, having been 6.9 per cent in September of the year before. There were 10,000 more employed persons than in September of the previous year. The unemployment rate in the third quarter (July to September) was 7.1 per cent, which was 0.3 percentage points higher than in the respective period of 2011.

Unemployment rate and trend of unemployment rate 1989/01 – 2012/09

Unemployment rate and trend of unemployment rate 1989/01 – 2012/09

In September 2012, the number of employed persons was 2,451,000, which was 10,000 higher than a year earlier (margin of error ± 32,000). The number of both employed men and employed women was 5,000 higher than in September 2011. The number of employed persons grew in the private sector but fell in the public sector.

In September, the employment rate, that is, the proportion of the employed among persons aged 15 to 64, stood at 68.1 per cent, which was 0.3 percentage points higher than one year before. Adjusted for seasonal and random variation, the trend of the employment rate was 69.1 per cent. From September of the previous year, women’s employment rate rose by 0.4 percentage points to 67.5 per cent and men’s by 0.2 percentage points to 68.8 per cent.

According to the Labour Force Survey, there were 187,000 unemployed in September 2012, i.e. 7,000 more than in September of the year before (margin of error ± 16,000). The number of unemployed men was 102,000 and that of women 85,000.

At 7.1 per cent, the unemployment rate in September was 0.2 percentage points higher than one year earlier. Men’s unemployment rate was 7.5 per cent and women’s 6.6 per cent. The trend of the unemployment rate was 8.1 per cent. In September the unemployment rate among young people aged 15 to 24 was 17 per cent, which was 0.2 percentage points higher than in the previous year’s September. The trend of the unemployment rate among young people was 19.5 per cent.

Changes in employment 2011/09 – 2012/09 according to Statistics Finland’s Labour Force Survey, population aged 15 to 74

  Year/Month Change
2011/09 2012/09 2011/09 - 2012/09
1000 persons Per cent, %
Population total 4 062 4 077 0,4
Active population total 2 621 2 637 0,6
Employed 2 440 2 451 0,4
– employees 2 102 2 103 0,0
– self-employed persons and unpaid family workers 338 348 2,9
Unemployed 180 187 3,6
Inactive population 1 441 1 440 –0,1
  Per cent, % Percentage points
Employment rate, persons aged 15 to 64 67,8 68,1 0,3
Unemployment rate 6,9 7,1 0,2
Activity rate 64,5 64,7 0,2
Unrounded figures are used in the Change column.
The data comply with the ILO/EU definition.

Labour Force Survey data for the third quarter of 2012

In the third quarter (July to September) of 2012, the average number of employed persons was 2,529,000, or 15,000 higher than in the corresponding quarter of 2011. The number of employed persons increased most in human health and social work activities and decreased in manufacturing.

The average number of unemployed persons in the third quarter of the year was 193,000, which was 10,000 more than in the July to September period of 2011. The unemployment rate in the third quarter of the year was 7.1 per cent, which was 0.3 percentage points higher than in the respective period of 2011.

The number of hours worked by employed persons was almost the same in the third quarter of 2012 as twelve months previously.

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

  Year/Quarter Change
2011/III 2012/III 2011/III - 2012/III
1000 persons Per cent (%)
Active population total 2 697 2 721 0,9
Employed persons total 2 514 2 529 0,6
Unemployed total 183 193 5,2
– men 101 101 0,7
– women 83 91 10,7
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 September 2012, there were altogether 240,000 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 16,000 higher than in September 2011.

Unemployment increased from the previous year's September in the areas of all Employment and Economic Development Centres; most in North Ostrobothnia (13%), South Savo (11%), North Karelia (10%) and Åland (18%). At the end of September, the number of temporarily laid off persons registered at the employment and economic development offices was 11,000, which was 3,000 more than twelve months earlier.

The number of persons covered by labour market policy measures totalled 108,000 the end of September, which was 5,000 fewer than in September of the year before. Altogether 4.1 per cent of the labour force was covered by labour market policy measures.

There were 30,000 unemployed job seekers aged under 25 registered at the employment and economic development offices. Their number was 3,000 higher than in last year’s September. During this September, 36,000 new vacancies were reported to the employment and economic development offices, which is 6,000 fewer than in September 2011.

Changes 2011/09– 2012/09 according to the Employment Service Statistics of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy

  Year/Month Change
2011/09 2012/09 2011/09 - 2012/09
1000 persons Per cent, %
Unemployed job seekers 224 240 7,0
– unemployed over a year 56 62 9,3
Total measures 113 108 –4,2
– employed with subsidised measures 36 30 –14,9
– in labour market training 30 28 –5,1
– in trainee and job alternation places 20 20 2,2
– in rehabilitative work, self-motivated studies (supported by unemployment benefit) 28 30 6,0
New vacancies at employment and economic development offices 42 36 –14,5
Unrounded figures are used in the Change column.

Contact information for the Ministry of Employment and the Economy:

Petri Syvänen, tel. +358 10 604 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, September. Statistics Finland

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

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

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Appendix tables

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Updated 23.10.2012

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Labour force survey [e-publication].
ISSN=1798-7857. September 2012. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 19.4.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/tyti/2012/09/tyti_2012_09_2012-10-23_tie_001_en.html