News
Wednesday - 16 May 2012
No. 93/2012
Labour force survey, April 2012
Please note that this release was corrected 23. May 2012 at 9:28.
Unemployment 7.5%
The number of persons in the labour force in the April 2012 was 179,500 which correspond to an activity rate of 80%. The number of employed persons was 166,000 and unemployed persons were 13,500. The employment rate was 74% and the unemployment rate was 7.5%. Unemployment has decreased by 4,600 since April 2011 when around 18,000 persons were unemployed or 9.9% of the labour force. The number of employed persons has on the other hand increased by 2,700 since April 2011 when 163,300 where employed, or 73.4%. The average actual working hours per week in April 2012 were 36.3 hours compared to 37.3 in 2011.
Figure 1. Labour force April 2012
Seasonally adjusted unemployment 6.7%
Seasonally adjusted unemployment for the last 12 months shows a decrease in unemployment by 2,100 over the period or 1.1 points. The seasonally adjusted data shows that in April 2012 unemployed persons aged 16-74 amounted to 13,000 or 6.7% compared to 13,400 in March 2012 or 7.4%. The number of seasonally adjusted employed persons in April was 167,600 or 74.6% compared to 167,100 or 74.5% in March 2012. Seasonally adjusted average actual working hours in April 2012 were 39.6 hours per week compared to 40 hours in preceding month.
Implementation
Since 2003 Statistics Iceland has conducted a continuous LFS with quarterly results and the total sample size is around 3,800 individuals in each quarter and the response rate between 80% and 85%. The sampling frame for each LFS is drawn from all Icelandic and foreign citizens in the National Registry who are 16–74 years of age and domiciled in Iceland. Every quarter is divided into three months or thirteen weeks. Two months count for four weeks and one for five weeks. April 2012 is four weeks, from the 2nd to the 29st of April. The total sample size for April 2012 was 1,196 persons. When those who had passed away or those who were living abroad had been deducted from the sample the net sample was 1,169 persons. In total the number of usable answers was 959 which correspond to 82% response rate. All figures have been weighted by sex and age groups. The confidence limit of the results on activity rate is ±2.6%, unemployment rate is ±1.9% and working hours is ±1.3 hours. Figure may not add up because of rounding.
| Table 1. Labour market in April - Orginal | ||||||
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | ||||
| Total 16-74 years | ||||||
| Activity rate | 81.2 | ±2.5 | 81.2 | ±2.4 | 80.0 | ±2.6 |
| Employment rate | 74.4 | ±2.8 | 73.1 | ±2.8 | 74.0 | ±2.8 |
| Unemployment rate | 8.4 | ±2 | 9.9 | ±2.2 | 7.5 | ±1.9 |
| Hours of work | 39.1 | ±1.3 | 37.3 | ±1.3 | 36.3 | ±1.3 |
| Labour force | 181,100 | ±5,500 | 181,400 | ±5,400 | 179,500 | ±5,800 |
| Employed | 165,900 | ±6,100 | 163,300 | ±6,200 | 166,000 | ±6,300 |
| Unemployed | 15,200 | ±3,600 | 18,000 | ±3,900 | 13,500 | ±3,300 |
| Inactive | 41,900 | ±5,500 | 42,100 | ±5,400 | 45,000 | ±5,800 |
| Est. population | 223,000 | • | 223,400 | • | 224,500 | • |
| Table 2. Labour market last 6 months - Seasonal adjustement | ||||||
| Nov-11 | Dec-11 | Jan-12 | Feb-12 | Mar-12 | Apr-12 | |
| Total 16-74 years | ||||||
| Activity rate | 78.8 | 79.6 | 80.0 | 79.9 | 80.5 | 80.0 |
| Employment rate | 74.5 | 74.7 | 74.8 | 74.3 | 74.5 | 74.6 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5 | 6.1 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 7.4 | 6.7 |
| Hours of work | 40.1 | 39.9 | 40.1 | 39.8 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| Labour force | 176,200 | 178,200 | 180,800 | 179,600 | 180,500 | 179,600 |
| Employed | 166,500 | 167,400 | 169,100 | 166,900 | 167,100 | 167,600 |
| Unemployed | 9,800 | 10,800 | 11,700 | 12,600 | 13,400 | 12,000 |
| Inactive | 47,300 | 45,800 | 45,200 | 45,100 | 43,800 | 45,000 |
| Est. population | 223,500 | 224,000 | 226,000 | 224,700 | 224,200 | 224,600 |
| Table 3. Labour market last 6 months - Seasonal adjustement trend | ||||||
| Nov-11 | Dec-11 | Jan-12 | Feb-12 | Mar-12 | Apr-12 | |
| Total 16-74 years | ||||||
| Activity rate | 79.7 | 79.6 | 79.7 | 79.8 | 79.9 | 79.9 |
| Employment rate | 74.1 | 74.1 | 74.2 | 74.4 | 74.5 | 74.6 |
| Unemployment rate | 7.1 | 6.9 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.7 | 6.6 |
| Hours of work | 39.8 | 39.8 | 39.8 | 39.8 | 39.8 | 39.8 |
| Labour force | 178,900 | 178,500 | 178,300 | 178,400 | 178,500 | 178,600 |
| Employed | 166,300 | 166,100 | 166,100 | 166,300 | 166,600 | 166,700 |
| Unemployed | 12,600 | 12,300 | 12,200 | 12,100 | 11,900 | 11,800 |
| Inactive | 45,500 | 45,600 | 45,400 | 45,200 | 45,000 | 44,800 |
| Est. population | 224,400 | 224,100 | 223,800 | 223,600 | 223,500 | 223,400 |
Statistics