Analytics, Employment, Latvia, Statistics

In the 2nd quarter, in Latvia there were 61.5 thousand unemployed persons aged 15–74, which is 13.9 thousand people fewer than a year ago and 5.4 thousand people fewer than in the previous quarter.

Since the 3rd quarter of 2008, Latvian unemployment rate exceeds the European Union (EU) average (except for the 1st quarter of 2015 when both indicators were equal). In the 1st quarter of 2019, Latvian unemployment rate (constituting 6.9 %) exceeded the EU average (6.8%) by 0.1 percentage points. In the 2nd quarter, Latvia still had the highest unemployment rate in the Baltic states – 6.4%, compared to 5.1% in Estonia and 6.2% in Lithuania.

Long-term unemployed persons

In the 2nd quarter of 2019, the share of long-term unemployed persons, i.e., those who have been without work for one year or more, in the total number of unemployed persons fell – from 41.3% to 40.0 %. The number of long-term unemployed persons, in its turn, reduced by 6.8 thousand, constituting 24.3 thousand in the 2nd quarter of 2019.

Youth unemploymen

In the 2nd quarter of 2019, youth unemployment rate accounted for 15.1%, which is 3.9 percentage points higher than a year ago and 1.6 percentage points higher than in the previous quarter. During the year, the number of young unemployed persons grew by 1.1 thousand people.

In the 2nd quarter, young people aged 15–24 accounted for 8.6 thousand or 14.0% of all unemployed persons. Over the year, their share in the total number of unemployed persons grew by 4.1 percentage points, whereas compared to the 1st quarter, by 0.9 percentage points.

In the 2nd quarter, 33.2% of all young people were active, i.e., employed or actively seeking a job (unemployed), while 66.8% of young people were inactive (mainly studying and not seeking a job). Survey results show that, compared to both corresponding quarter a year ago and previous quarter, the number and share of inactive young people has risen, as part of pupils and students do not keep working or actively seeking employment.

Inactive population

In the 2nd quarter of 2019, 31.0 % or 433.5 thousand people aged 15–74 were inactive. i.e., were neither employed nor actively seeking a job. Compared to the 1st quarter of 2019, inactive population increased by 0.6 thousand people or 0.1 %, whereas over the year it rose by 5.5 thousand people or 1.3%.

In the 2nd quarter of the year, 15.6 thousand people or 3.6% of the inactive population were discouraged to find a job (compared to 2.6 % a year ago and 2.7 % in the 1st quarter of 2019).

In the 2nd quarter of 2019, Labour Force Survey questions about economic activity were asked to 6.9 thousand people aged 15–74 living in 4.0 thousand households.