Growth in unemployment slowed; broad unemployment increased moderately

At the end of April, there were a total of 333,200 unemployed jobseekers, which is 20,000 (6%) more than a year earlier. The number of new unemployment spells increased by 3,300 compared to last year. At the end of April, 424,800 jobseekers were in broad unemployment. Their number increased by 12,600, i.e. 3 percent, from the year before.

The data are based on the Employment Bulletin of the Development and Administrative Services Centre (KEHA Centre).

The number of unemployed jobseekers includes clients of municipal employment services as well as those temporarily laid off full-time. In April, there were 19,700 persons laid off full-time, which is 3,100 fewer than a year earlier and 5,400 fewer than in March this year, notes Riitta Kinnunen, researcher at the KEHA Centre.

Long-term unemployment continued to rise; unemployment increased in all age groups

There were 139,200 long-term unemployed persons in April, defined as jobseekers who have been unemployed continuously for at least one year. This is 21,900 (19%) more than a year earlier. The number of long-term unemployed who had been unemployed continuously for over two years was 72,500, which is 14,500 (25%) more than in April last year.

Compared to a year earlier, unemployment increased in all age groups. There were 41,000 unemployed jobseekers under the age of 25, which is 5,000 more than a year earlier. Of youth unemployment spells, 45.4 percent ended before reaching three months during January–April. This share increased by 1.3 percentage points compared to a year earlier.

Of all unemployed jobseekers, 84,500 were aged over 55, which is 3,800 more than a year earlier. During January–April, 42.3 percent of unemployment spells among people over the age of 55 ended within three months. This share is 0.5 percentage points higher than in the corresponding period last year.

Decline in new vacancies continued

In April, 37,000 new job vacancies were posted on the Job Market Finland platform, which is 5,700 (-13%) fewer than in the corresponding period a year earlier. Only in the occupational groups of professionals (100) and managers (100) did the number of new vacancies increase compared to a year earlier.

The largest decreases were observed in the occupational groups of technicians and associate professionals and of elementary occupations, where 1,500 fewer vacancies were posted in April in both groups compared to a year earlier.

Overall, there were 67,100 vacancies open in April, i.e. 17,600 fewer than a year earlier, Kinnunen notes.

The most common job titles in demand were health care assistant, shop sales assistant, early childhood educator, civil engineering labourer, building construction labourer, heavy truck and lorry driver, and welder and flame cutter.

Use of activation services declined further; labour market training increased

At the end of April, 91,600 persons were participating in services included in the activation rate, which is 7,500 (-8%) fewer than a year earlier. These services include, among others, pay subsidies, labour market training, rehabilitative work activities, and independent studies with unemployment benefit.

The activation rate at the end of April was 21.6%, i.e. 2.4 percentage points lower than a year earlier. The largest relative decreases were observed in career coaching and job search coaching (-38%), in work try-outs and training try-outs (-29%), and in rehabilitative work activities (-26%).

In contrast, the number of participants in labour market training increased by 12 percent compared to a year earlier. The use of job coaching outside the activation rate has more than doubled over the past 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 KEHA Centre, any persons who are not employed or acting as entrepreneurs are 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 is available for work within two weeks. The Labour Force Survey of Statistics Finland produces official unemployment figures that are internationally comparable.