Analytics, Employment, Financial Services, Labour-market, Latvia, Wages

During the reference quarter, both number of employed persons and their share in the total population has grown, if compared to both corresponding period of the previous year (in the 3^rdquarter of 2011 875.1 thousand persons and 54.9%) and previous quarter (in the 2^nd quarter of 2012 the number comprised 877.4 thousand persons and 55.7%). Totally in the country there were 905.1 thousand employed persons (57.5% of total population aged 15-74). Only 8% of them did not work due to various reasons (vocation, illness, childcare leave, etc.). The number employed includes 8.5 thousand persons, which still having the status of unemployed during the reference week were employed.

Women in the total number of employed constituted slightly higher share than men – 50.5% and 49.5%, respectively.

The livelihood of the population usually comes from various sources of income, and thus, during the survey, respondents indicated several sources of income. Wages and salaries was the main source of income for the half (50.1%) of the population in the corresponding age group.

In the 3^rd quarter of 2012, the share of employees receiving wage under LVL 200 has reduced.

Employees by monthly net (after taxes) wages and salaries in the main job, %

Number of unemployed persons and their share in the active population during the 3^rd quarter of 2012 has reduced, if compared to both corresponding period of the previous year, when there were 155.4 thousand unemployed and their share comprised 15.1%, and compared to the 2^nd quarter of 2012 (168.9 thousand persons and 16.1%, respectively). In the 3^rd quarter of 2012, there were 141.8 thousand unemployed persons or 13.5% of the active population (both employed and unemployed). The share of unemployed men in the total number of active men in the country was higher than share of unemployed women in the number of active women, constituting 13.9% and 13.2%, respectively. Registered unemployment rate in the country in the 3^rd quarter of 2012 comprised 11.5%, according to the data calculated on the basis of the State Employment Agency information.

Share of young people (aged 15-24) in the total number of active young people during the 3^rd quarter of 2012 comprised 31.1% – 0.1 percentage point more than in previous quarter and 1 percentage point more, if compared to the 3^rd quarter of 2011.

Almost half (67.1 thousand persons or 47.3%) of the total number of unemployed persons were long-term unemployed. Compared to the corresponding period the year before, their number has reduced by 18.6 thousand.In current economic situation, the number of unemployed persons having previous work experience is still high.In the 3^rd quarter of 2012, there were 116.2 thousand unemployed having previous work experience or 81.9% of the total number of unemployed persons, whereas a year before this indicator comprised 130.8 thousand persons and 84.2%, respectively.

In the 3^rd quarter of 2012, the number inactive population has diminished by 6.7% and constitutes 527.2 thousand persons.

Particular attention in this group should be paid to persons who are potential unemployed, but have been discouraged or do not know where and how to find a job. Results of the survey show that, during the reference quarter, there were 32.6 thousand persons in the country who were discouraged to find a job (6.2% of the total inactive population). In comparison with the 3^rd quarter of 2011, their number has decreased by 7.2 thousand.

Employment rate and unemployment rate, %

More information on the Labour Force Survey results and methodology is available in the CSB database.

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¹ Net wages and salaries are calculated basing on minimum gross wages and salaries. In 2011 and 2012 minimum monthly wage comprised LVL 200.