This category
Wage statistics
Wage statistics for wages and salaries in the private market are available for the period from 1998 to 2004 by occupations, sex and regions. Through an agreement with the Institute of Labour Market Research, valid from January 2005, Statistics Iceland runs the business survey for wage data. The business survey is based on a sample of private companies. Data is collected every month directly from the companies payroll systems and contains information on labour costs for all employees.The sample is a stratified cluster sample where the sample unit is the local activity unit and the observation unit is the employee. The target population contains all local activity units with at least 10 employees. The survey currently covers the following sectors; D Manufacturing, F Construction, G Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles and personal and household goods and I Transport, storage and communication. The aim of this survey is to cover all main sectors and occupations of the Icelandic labour market. Methods are based on European recommendations.
Wage index
The Wage index measures monthly changes in wages and salaries of employees and is based on information collected from both public and private sector employers.
Labour market
Statistics Iceland has carried out a continuous quarterly labour force survey since January 2003. The primary purpose of the survey is to give a proper description of the labour market status of the Icelandic population. The sample is drawn form the National register with a sample of 4.030 persons, aged 16-74 each quarter. In the period 1991-2002 the labour force survey was conducted twice a year, for one reference week in April and November. The survey, conducted by telephone, includes questions relating to employment status, working hours, education, residence, etc. They are based on international standards and modelled on comparable surveys in the neighbouring countries. In addition, data on trade union membership is gathered once a year from the trade unions and four times a year employment agencies provide Statistics Iceland with information on registered unemployment by sex, age and duration of unemployment registration. Since 2001 Statistics Iceland has published estimates on the quarterly number of employed persons based on PAYE register (pay-as-you-earn) of the Tax authority. The number of full-time job equivalents, estimated from the number of working weeks during the year is available for the period 1963-1997. Services:- for telephone enquiries call +354-528 1250 (wages) and +354–528 1280 (labour market) or by e-mail
- the Statistics Iceland library gives you information on the labour market and you can have the relevant statistics photocopied or provided in electronic format
For further information:
- Gunnar Axel Axelsson tel. +354-528 1252 (wage index)
- Lárus Blöndal head of labour market statistics tel. +354-528 1281
- Margrét Kristín Indriðadóttir head of wage statistics tel. +354-528 1251
- Hrönn Kristinsdóttir tel. +354–528 1127 (Full-time equivalents)