Unemployment rate 3.1%
The number of persons in the labour force in the 4th quarter of 2015 was 192,800 corresponding to an activity rate of 83.3%. The number of employed persons was 186,000 while unemployed persons were 6,800. The employment rate was 80.4% and the unemployment rate was 3.1%. From the 4th quarter of 2014 the number of employed persons has increased by 3,200 and the employment rate increased by 1.3 percentage points. At the same time the number of unemployed persons fell by 900 and the unemployment rate decreased by 0.5 points. The unemployment rate among females was 4% and 3.1% among males.
Long term unemployment
Those who have been unemployed for 12 months or more in 4th quarter of 2015 were 1.400 or 0.7% of the labour force. In the 4th quarter of 2014 long term unemployed persons were 900 or 0.5% of the labour force.
Persons are classified as unemployed when they have no employment, are actively seeking a job and could start working within two weeks or have found a job which starts within 3 months. Students who are not employed and fulfil this criteria are considered unemployed. People are classified as working (employed) if they worked one hour or more in the reference week or were absent from work they usually carry out.
Average working hours
The average number of working hours of those who were working in the reference week was 41.5 hours, 45.7 hours for those in full-time employment and 24.8 hours for those in part-time employment.
Atypical hours
In the 4th quarter 2015 23.9% of all employed persons said they only work on typical hours (hours from 08-18). If employees working shift work are not counted in 31.1% employed persons never work atypical hours. It goes together that employees doing shift work are part-time workers. In the 4th quarter 47.9% of those in part-time where doing shift work compared to 19.7% of those in full-time.
Labour market in 4th quarter 2015 - Statistical Series