More full-time employed

Publisert:

The number of employed persons working full time increased by 42 000 from the 1st quarter of 2017 to the 1st quarter of 2018. Both men and women experienced an increase in full time employment, according to new figures from the Labour force survey.

In total, the figures on employed persons increased by 39 000, 23 000 men and 16 000 women. While there was a rise in full-time employment, there were only minor changes in part-time employment.

The labour force participation rate among people aged 15-74 was 69,5 per cent in the 1st quarter of 2018, approximately the same level as in the 1st quarter of 2017. The figures on unemployed persons decreased by 12 000 in this period.

Figure 1. Persons (15-74 years) in the labour force, by gender. In per cent of the population in each group

Both sexes Males Females
Q1 2007 71.9 75.1 68.6
Q1 2008 73.2 76.1 70.1
Q1 2009 72.8 75.7 69.9
Q1 2010 71.6 74.4 68.7
Q1 2011 70.9 73.3 68.4
Q1 2012 71.2 74.3 68.0
Q1 2013 70.9 73.7 67.9
Q1 2014 70.3 73.1 67.3
Q1 2015 70.7 73.5 67.7
Q1 2016 70.5 73.4 67.6
Q1 2017 69.3 71.9 66.6
Q1 2018 69.5 72.3 66.7

The participation rate increased among those aged 20-24, 45-54 and 60-66. For the other age groups, there was a decrease or only minor changes.

Figure 2. Persons (15-74 years) in the labour force, by age. In per cent of the population in each group

Q1 2017 Q1 2018
15-19 years 36.4 35
20-24 years 67.5 69.4
25-29 years 82.5 83.2
30-34 years 85.6 85.3
35-39 years 88.2 89.1
40-44 years 88.7 86.7
45-49 years 86.5 87.6
50-54 years 82.1 84.1
55-59 years 82.5 80.8
60-66 years 57.3 58.9
67-74 years 11.1 11.2

Fall in youth unemployment

The total number of unemployed people was reduced by 12 000 from the 1st quarter of 2017 to the 1st quarter of 2018. The fall in unemployment was both among men and women, mainly for those aged 15-24.

The average period of unemployment decreased from 31,5 to 31 weeks last year.

New estimation method

To improve the precision of the main variables, a new estimation method which utilizes several administrative registers, are introduced in the LFS. The method also reduces more non-response bias. The new improved method slightly reduces the numbers for employed persons and correspondingly increase the numbers for people outside the labour force. The number of unemployed persons is only marginally changed by improved methodology. New time series are produced back to 2006. For more information on the new methodology, see {Documents 2018/16}.

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