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International Internet Magazine. Baltic States news & analytics Thursday, 28.03.2024, 14:34

In Q3, 64.3% Latvian population were employed

Sandra Ceriņa, Statistics Latvia, Riga, 16.11.2020.Print version
Results of the Labour Force Survey conducted by the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) show that 892.8 thousand people or 64.3 % of the population of Latvia aged 15–74 were employed in the 3rd quarter of 2020. Over a year, employment rate has dropped by 1.3 percentage points, but the number of employed – by 25.0 thousand.

Compared to the previous quarter, employment rate has risen by 0.2 percentage points, but the number of employed – by 0.7 thousand.


Since the 2nd half of 2012 employment rate in Latvia has exceeded the European Union (EU) average¹. In the 3rd quarter it was higher than in Lithuania (63.7 %), but lower than in Estonia (66.3 %).


In the 3rd quarter of 2020, employment rate among young people (aged 15–24) constituted 29.7 %, which is 3.3 percentage points lower indicator than that recorded in the previous period. The number of employed young people accounted for 50.7 thousand.




In the 3rd quarter, persons in main job worked on average 38.6 hours per week, which is the same as in the corresponding period of the previous year, but 1.5 hours more than in the 2nd quarter of 2020.


In the 3rd quarter, 8.9 % (70.5 thousand) of employees worked remotely². That is less than half compared to the 2nd quarter (140.6 thousand or 18.3 %). 55.7 % of persons working remotely were females and 44.3 % – males.


The largest share of employees working remotely (33.2 %) were in age group 35–44 years, 26.8 % – in age group 15-34 years. The largest share of males working remotely (38.1 %) were aged 15–34 years, but females (31.4 %) – in age group 35–44 years. The largest share of employees working remotely (12.6 %) in the total number of employees of the respective age group was observed in age group 35–44 years, but the smallest (6.3 %) in age group 55–74 years.


Almost a half (49.2 %) of all employees working remotely were employed in financial and insurance activities, 31.2 % – in information and communication services and 15.0 % – in public administration and defence; compulsory social security activities. The smallest (3.4 %) share of employees working remotely was observed in manufacturing sector (B–F).


Slightly more than one fifth (21.4 %) of professionals, slightly less (20.7 %) of technicians and associate professionals and 12.9 % of managers worked remotely.


During a year share of employees receiving up to EUR 450 monthly (after taxes) reduced by 2.3 percentage points. The proportion of employees receiving minimum monthly wage³ or less accounted for 10.8 % or 85.5 thousand people (a reduction of 1.6 percentage points over the 3rd quarter of 2019). During a year share of employees receiving net wage from EUR 450 to 700 (in the 3rd quarter – 34.6 %) rose by 0.3 percentage points, of those receiving from EUR 700 to 1400 – by 0.6 percentage points (in the 3rd quarter – 32.4 %). Share of employees receiving monthly EUR 1400 and more after taxes increased by 1.1 percentage point (7.0 % in the 3rd quarter). The highest share of small wages in regions was observed in Latgale, where each fifth (20.5 %) employee received minimum monthly wage or less.


In the 3rd quarter wage or salary of 2.8 % of employees was not calculated or paid, while 2.5 % did not indicate the size of earnings thereof.


Employees by monthly net wages and salaries in the main job (as per cent)

 

3rd quarter of 2019

2nd quarter of 2020

3rd quarter of 2020

Employees

100.0

100.0

100.0

up to EUR 450.00

23.0

26.3

20.7

employees receiving minimum monthly wage or less

12.4

15.4

10.8

EUR 450.01–700.00

34.3

35.1

34.6

EUR 700.01–1400.00

31.8

28.1

32.4

EUR 1400.01 and more

5.9

5.0

7.0

was not calculated or paid

2.4

3.5

2.8

not specified

2.6

2.0

2.5


In the 3rd quarter of 2020, Labour Force Survey questions about economic activity were asked to 7.2 thousand people aged 15–74 living in 4.1 thousand household.

 

¹ EU average indicators on 27 Member States.

²Remote work – the way work is carried out when employed might do it within the enterprise, but carries it out independently or on a regular basis outside the employer's enterprise using information and communication technologies.

³ In 2019 and 2020 minimum wage constituted EUR 430.






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