Analytics, Education and Science, Employment, EU – Baltic States, Labour-market, Latvia

In the 2nd quarter of 2015, 97.1 thsd persons aged 15 to 74 years were unemployed, which is 9.1 thsd or 8.6% less than a year before.

Since the 2nd quarter of 2014 unemployment rate in Latvia only slightly differs from the average European Union (EU) indicator, and in the 1st quarter of 2015 it was the same as the average EU indicator (10.2%).

Unemployment rate in the Baltic States and on average in the European Union, %

Data source: Eurostat, CSB Labour Force Survey

Long-term unemployed

The share of long-term unemployed persons who have been seeking a job for 12 months or more amounted to 43% of the total number of the unemployed. Over the year this indicator has grown by 2.8 percentage points (in the 2nd quarter of 2014 - 40.2%). Along with the decreasing total number of unemployed persons, also the number of long-term unemployed persons declined from 42.4 thsd in the 2nd quarter of 2014 to 41.7 thsd in the 2nd quarter of 2015.

Youth unemployment

In the 2nd quarter of 2015 youth unemployment rate decreased to 15.2%, which is 5.9. percentage points less than a year before (in the 2nd quarter of 2014 - 21.1%). 12.6 thsd  or 12.9% of the total number of unemployed persons were aged 15-24. Over the year, the number of unemployed youth has dropped by 5.2 thsd, and its share in the total number of unemployed persons has decreased by 3.8 percentage points. In the 2nd quarter of 2015, 40.8% of all people aged 15 - 24 were active, i.e. employed or actively seeking a job (unemployed). 59.2% of youth were inactive, mostly still studying and not seeking a job.

Inactive population

In the 2nd quarter of 2015 almost one third of the population (32.5% or 480.2 thsd) aged 15 to 74 were inactive, i.e., neither employed, nor actively seeking a job. Compared to the 2nd quarter of 2014 the number of inactive persons has decreased by 22.8 thsd or 4.5%.

In the 2nd quarter of 2015, 23.6 thsd or 4.9% of the inactive population were discouraged to find a job. For comparison, in the 2nd quarter of 2014 and in the 1st quarter of 2015 the share of this inactive population accounted for 4.8%.

Within the framework of the Labour Force Survey 4.1 thsd households were surveyed in the 2nd quarter of 2015, interviewing 7.9 thsd persons aged 15 – 74.

More information on the Labour Force Survey results and methodology is available in the section Employment and Unemployment.