According to seasonally adjusted estimates from the Icelandic Labour Force Survey there were only minor changes in labour status figures between June and July 2019. Seasonal adjusted activity rate was 81.2% in July 2019, which is 0.2 percentage points higher in than in June. The seasonally adjusted number of unemployed persons was estimated to be 6,500 or 3.1%, which is a decrease of 0.2 percentage points. The seasonally adjusted employment rate for July was 78.7%, which is excactly the same as in the month before.
The seasonally adjusted trend over the last six months shows a slight decrease in the activity rate, or by 0.3 percentage points. The employment rate decreased by 0.5 percentage points and the unemployment rate increased by 0.3 percentage points.
The unadjusted measures from the Icelandic Labour Force Survey show that 213,800 persons 16 to 74 years old belonged to the labour force in July 2019, setting the activity rate at 83.4% (±2.3). Thereof, 208,400 (±6,300) persons were employed and 5,400 (±2,500) persons were unemployed. The employment rate was 81.3% (±2.5) and the unemployment rate was 2.5% (±1.2).
Comparing July 2018 and 2019 shows that the number of people in the labour force increased by 3,000, while the activity rate decreasesd by 0.7 percentage points. The number of employed persons increased by 2,700 and the rate decreased also by 0.7 percentage points.
The number of unemployed increased by 200 in July 2019 compared with June 2018 when the number of unemployed was 5,200. On the other hand the unemployment rate was the same or 2.5%. In total, there were 42,500 inactive persons in the population in July 2019 compared to 39,800 in July 2018.
Flow Chart — Labour force 16–74 years — July 2019 measures
Figures may not add up because of rounding. CI (95%) Unemployment rate: Total ±1.2; males ±1.7; females ±1.6
About the data
July 2019 is divided into four weeks, from July 1st to July 28th 2019. The total sample size for the Labour Force Survey in July was 1,535 persons 16–74 years old who were randomly selected from the registered population. When individuals out of scope had been removed from the sample, the net sample was 1,519 persons. In total, the number of responses was 881 individuals corresponding to a response rate of 58.0%.
It should be noted that all numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred, and results are weighted by sex and age groups.
| Table 1. Labour market in July — Original | ||||||
| CI | CI | CI | ||||
| 2017 | (±95%) | 2018 | (±95%) | 2019 | (±95%) | |
| Total 16–74 years | ||||||
| Activity rate | 83.6 | 2,5 | 84.1 | 2,2 | 83.4 | 2,3 |
| Employment rate | 82.7 | 2,6 | 82.0 | 2,3 | 81.3 | 2,5 |
| Unemployment rate | 1.0 | 0,8 | 2.5 | 1,1 | 2.5 | 1,2 |
| Hours of work | 41.7 | 1,5 | 42.5 | 1,6 | 41.5 | 1,6 |
| Labour force | 201,600 | 6,100 | 210,800 | 5,400 | 213,800 | 5,900 |
| Employed | 199,500 | 6,300 | 205,700 | 5,700 | 208,400 | 6,300 |
| Unemployed | 2,100 | 1,600 | 5,200 | 2,300 | 5,400 | 2,500 |
| Inactive | 39,500 | 6,100 | 39,800 | 5,400 | 42,500 | 5,900 |
| Est. population | 241,100 | • | 250,600 | • | 256,300 | • |
| Table 2. Labour market last 6 months — seasonal adjustment | ||||||
| Feb-19 | Mar-19 | Apr-19 | May-19 | Jun-19 | Jul-19 | |
| Total 16–74 years | ||||||
| Activity rate | 80.7 | 82.6 | 82.0 | 80.5 | 81.4 | 81.2 |
| Employment rate | 78.0 | 80.1 | 79.3 | 76.7 | 78.7 | 78.7 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 4.8 | 3.3 | 3.1 |
| Hours of work | 39.2 | 39.4 | 40.1 | 39.5 | 39.0 | 38.9 |
| Labour force | 207,100 | 210,000 | 209,500 | 210,000 | 207,500 | 207,800 |
| Employed | 200,200 | 203,600 | 202,600 | 200,000 | 200,700 | 201,300 |
| Unemployed | 6,900 | 6,500 | 6,900 | 10,000 | 6,800 | 6,500 |
| Inactive | 49,600 | 44,200 | 45,900 | 50,700 | 47,500 | 48,100 |
| Est. population | 256,700 | 254,200 | 255,400 | 260,800 | 255,000 | 255,900 |
| Table 3. Labour market last 6 months — seasonal adjustment trend | ||||||
| Feb-19 | Mar-19 | Apr-19 | May-19 | Jun-19 | Jul-19 | |
| Total 16–74 years | ||||||
| Activity rate | 81.7 | 81.7 | 81.6 | 81.5 | 81.4 | 81.4 |
| Employment rate | 79.2 | 79.0 | 78.9 | 78.8 | 78.7 | 78.6 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.4 |
| Hours of work | 39.5 | 39.5 | 39.5 | 39.4 | 39.3 | 39.2 |
| Labour force | 208,100 | 208,400 | 208,500 | 208,300 | 208,100 | 208,000 |
| Employed | 201,600 | 201,600 | 201,500 | 201,200 | 201,000 | 200,900 |
| Unemployed | 6,500 | 6,700 | 7,000 | 7,100 | 7,100 | 7,000 |
| Inactive | 46,600 | 46,700 | 46,900 | 47,200 | 47,400 | 47,600 |
| Est. population | 254,700 | 255,100 | 255,400 | 255,500 | 255,500 | 255,600 |