News
Wednesday - 24 April 2013
No. 83/2013
Labour force survey, March 2013
Unemployment 6.8%
The number of persons in the labour force in March 2013 was 179,400 which correspond to an activity rate of 79.3%. The number of employed persons was 167,100 and unemployed persons were 12,300. The employment rate was 73.9% and the unemployment rate was 6.8%. The unemployment rate has decreased by 0.7 percentage points from March 2012 when it was 7.5%. In March 2013 the male unemployment rate was 7.5% compared to 9% in March 2012 and the female unemployment rate was 6.2% compared to 5.9% in March 2012.
Flowchart. Labour force 16-74 years March 2013
Figures may not add up because of rounding.
Seasonally adjusted unemployment 6.4%
The seasonally adjusted data shows that in March 2013 the number of people in the labour force was 183,700 or 80.6% activity rate compared to 181,900 and 80.4% in February. The number of unemployed persons amounted to 11,700 or 6.4% compared to 8,500 and 4.7% in February. The number of seasonally adjusted employed persons in March was 171,900 or 75.5% compared to 173.400 and 76.7% in February.
The seasonally adjusted trend data shows that for the last six months the labour force has increased by 1.4% and the activity rate by 0.3 points. Unemployment has decreased by 1.5% and the unemployment rate by 0.2 points. Employment has increased by 1.5% and the employment rate by 0.3 points. The twelve month trend for activity has increased 1%, unemployment has decreased by 16.9% and the employment by 2.3%.
Implementation
March 2013 is divided in to four weeks, from the 4th of March to 1st of April 2013. The total sample size for March 2013 was 1,208 persons, 16 to 74 years randomly chosen from the Population Register. When those who had passed away or those who were living abroad had been deducted from the sample the net sample was 1,184 persons. In total the number of usable answers was 975 which correspond to 82.3% response rate. All figures have been weighted by sex and age groups. The confidence limit of the results on activity rate is ±2.5 points, employment rate is ±2.7% and unemployment rate is ±1.8%. Figures may not add up because of rounding.
| Table 1. Labour market in March - Original | ||||||
| CI | CI | CI | ||||
| 2011 | (±95%) | 2012 | (±95%) | 2013 | (±95%) | |
| Total 16-74 years | ||||||
| Activity rate | 79.6 | 2.2 | 79.3 | 2.2 | 79.3 | 2.5 |
| Employment rate | 73.6 | 2.4 | 73.4 | 2.4 | 73.9 | 2.7 |
| Unemployment rate | 7.6 | 1.7 | 7.5 | 1.6 | 6.8 | 1.8 |
| Hours of work | 39.2 | 1.1 | 40.3 | 1.1 | 38.7 | 1.3 |
| Labour force | 177,200 | 4,900 | 177,300 | 4,900 | 179,400 | 5,700 |
| Employed | 163,800 | 5,400 | 163,900 | 5,400 | 167,100 | 6,200 |
| Unemployed | 13,400 | 3,000 | 13,400 | 2,900 | 12,300 | 3,300 |
| Inactive | 45,300 | 4,900 | 46,100 | 4,900 | 46,800 | 5,700 |
| Est. population | 222,600 | • | 223,400 | • | 226,200 | • |
| Table 2. Labour market last 6 months - Seasonal adjustment | ||||||
| Oct-12 | Nov-12 | Dec-12 | Jan-13 | Feb-13 | March-13 | |
| Total 16-74 years | ||||||
| Activity rate | 79.7 | 79.7 | 80.7 | 79.8 | 80.4 | 80.6 |
| Employment rate | 75.5 | 76.0 | 76.3 | 75.5 | 76.7 | 75.5 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2 | 4.6 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 4.7 | 6.4 |
| Hours of work | 39.4 | 39.4 | 40.2 | 38.8 | 38.9 | 40.9 |
| Labour force | 177,600 | 178,800 | 181,600 | 179,500 | 181,900 | 183,700 |
| Employed | 168,300 | 170,500 | 171,800 | 169,800 | 173,400 | 171,900 |
| Unemployed | 9,300 | 8,300 | 9,800 | 9,700 | 8,500 | 11,700 |
| Inactive | 45,200 | 45,600 | 43,500 | 45,500 | 44,300 | 44,200 |
| Est. population | 222,800 | 224,400 | 225,100 | 225,000 | 226,300 | 227,900 |
| Table 3. Labour market last 6 months - Seasonal adjustment trend | ||||||
| Oct-12 | Nov12 | Dec-12 | Jan-13 | Feb-13 | March-13 | |
| Total 16-74 years | ||||||
| Activity rate | 80.0 | 79.9 | 80.0 | 80.1 | 80.2 | 80.2 |
| Employment rate | 75.4 | 75.5 | 75.7 | 75.8 | 75.9 | 75.8 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 5.5 |
| Hours of work | 39.6 | 39.6 | 39.6 | 39.6 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| Labour force | 179,000 | 179,300 | 179,800 | 180,400 | 181,000 | 181,400 |
| Employed | 168,800 | 169,400 | 170,100 | 170,800 | 171,300 | 171,400 |
| Unemployed | 10,200 | 9,900 | 9,700 | 9,600 | 9,700 | 10,000 |
| Inactive | 44,800 | 45,000 | 44,900 | 44,800 | 44,700 | 44,800 |
| Est. population | 223,700 | 224,200 | 224,700 | 225,200 | 225,700 | 226,100 |
Statistics