Unemployment increased in October, Layoffs decreased

At the end of October, there were 313,600 unemployed jobseekers in total, which is 28,500 more than a year earlier. However, the number of new unemployment spells started was 2,700 fewer than a year ago. These figures are from the Employment Bulletin of the Development and Administrative Centre for ELY Centres (KEHA Centre).

– The number of unemployed jobseekers includes clients of municipal employment services as well as those who are fully laid off, explains Sebastian Adofsson, Researcher at the KEHA Centre. In October, there were 17,000 fully laid-off individuals, which is 4,700 fewer than a year ago, but 1,900 more than in September. In total, there were 27,800 laid-off individuals (including those working reduced working week) across the country at the end of October, which is 4,500 fewer than a year earlier.

Long-term unemployment continued to rise – Unemployment increased across all age groups

– There were 132,600 long-term unemployed in October, meaning individuals who have been unemployed jobseekers continuously for at least one year. This is 31,600 more than a year ago. Of these, 65,200 had been unemployed for over two years, which is 13,100 more than in October last year, Adolfsson notes.

Unemployment increased across all age groups compared to the previous year. There were 35,900 unemployed jobseekers under the age of 25, which is 4,600 more than in October last year. Of the youth unemployment spells, 48.3 percent ended before reaching three months during January–October. This share decreased by 8.4 percentage points from the previous year. Among unemployed jobseekers, 81,800 were over 55 years old, which is 6,700 more than a year ago. Of the unemployment spells for those over 55, 44.1 percent ended before three months during January–October. The change from the previous year is -5.3 percentage points.

Number of new job vacancies increased slightly*

– During October, 31,400 new job vacancies were reported, which is 4,100 more than at the same time last year. Numerically, the largest increase was in the occupational group of Craft and related trades workers, where 8,300 new vacancies were reported – 3,600 (74 percent) more than in October last year. The largest decrease was in the group of Technicians and associate professionals, where 2,000 new vacancies were reported in October, which is 2,300 (54 percent) fewer than a year earlier. In total, there were 54,800 open jobs in October, which is 3,400 more than a year ago, Adolfsson summarizes.

At the end of October, 89,700 people were participating in services counted towards the activation rate, which is 20,400 fewer than a year earlier. Services included in the activation rate are, among others, wage subsidies, labour market training, rehabilitative work activities, and self-motivated studies with unemployment benefits.

* Figures for job vacancies from June to December 2024 exclude those jobs that employers prohibited from being transferred to employment authorities. In the 2025 figures, such jobs are included. This highlights the change in the number of jobs vacant compared to the previous year.

Statistics Finland: The trend of the unemployment rate 10.3 per cent

According to the Labour Force Survey issued by Statistics Finland, in October the number of people in employment was 25,000 more than on the previous year. The trend of the employment rate was 71.4%, which was 0.2 percentage points lower than in October the year before. According to the Survey, the unemployment total was 276,000, which is 48,000 more than a year ago. The trend of the unemployment rate was 10.3 %, 1.5 percentage points higher than the previous year.

Key differences between the Employment Service Statistics and the Labour Force Survey

The information is based on the Employment Service Statistics of the KEHA Centre and the Labour Force Survey of Statistics Finland. The source of the Employment Service Statistics of the KEHA Centre is the customer register of municipal employment services, while the Labour Force Survey of Statistics Finland is a sample survey.

In the Employment Service Statistics of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, anyone who is not employed or acting as an entrepreneur is classified as unemployed. Persons fully laid off but not full-time students are also categorised as unemployed in the Employment Service Statistics. The Labour Force Survey of Statistics Finland has a stricter definition of unemployed: a person is unemployed if they have actively sought employment during the preceding four weeks and are available for work within two weeks. The Labour Force Survey of Statistics Finland produces official unemployment figures that are internationally comparable