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On 7 October, Statistics Estonia will launch a pilot Labour Force Survey, which will be conducted in parallel to the regular Labour Force Survey. The aim of the pilot survey is to test the renewed questionnaire and methodology, which will be implemented in 2021. This is the first time that the respondents can use an online questionnaire and the sample of the survey will include persons aged 75‒89.
Labour force participation rate at highest for 20 years
Date 14.08.2017
Article
According to Statistics Estonia, in the 2nd quarter of 2017, the unemployment rate was 7%, the employment rate 66.9% and the labour force participation rate 72%. Compared to the 2nd quarter of 2016, the employment rate remained on the same level and the labour force participation rate reached its highest level for 20 years.
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The working-age population is divided into three: employees, i.e. employed persons; unemployed persons and economically inactive persons. The employed and the unemployed together form the economically active population, i.e. the labour force. An employed person is someone who worked during the reference period and was paid as a wage earner, entrepreneur or freelancer. An employed person is also someone who worked without direct payment in a family enterprise or own farm, or was temporarily absent from work. An unemployed person is someone who does not work anywhere, but who is actively seeking
The unemployment rate was 7.5% last year
Date 16.02.2026
Article
Tea Vassiljeva, analyst at Statistics Estonia, explained that the unemployment rate, i.e. the share of the unemployed in the labour force, was 7.5% last year, which is just 0.1 percentage points lower than in 2024. In 2025, the average number of the unemployed was 56,200 – this is down by 900 from the year before. Unemployment grew the most among young men “Unemployment decreased among women but increased among men. Women’s unemployment rate, which was 7.5% in 2024, dropped to 6.6% in 2025. As for men, their unemployment rate grew by 0.7 percentage points compared with 2024 and reached 8.3% as
Construction prices rose by 2% in the first quarter
Date 22.04.2026
Article
The construction price index expresses the change in construction expenditures taking into consideration the price changes of three basic inputs: labour force, building machines, and building materials. The calculation of the construction price index covers four groups of buildings: detached houses, blocks of flats, industrial buildings, and office buildings. The repair and reconstruction work price index covers office buildings. Ülo Paulus, leading analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that the increase in the construction price index in the first quarter, compared with the previous quarter
The unemployment rate was 7.1% in the first quarter
Date 15.05.2026
Article
Tea Vassiljeva, analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that, in the first quarter, the labour market showed no signs of major changes in any direction. “There were 52,200 unemployed people in the first quarter, up by 5,100 from the fourth quarter of last year. This number is still significantly lower than in the first quarter of last year, when the number of unemployed people was very high,” noted Vassiljeva. The unemployment rate is the share of the unemployed in the labour force. The unemployment rate was 7.1% in the first quarter, which is 0.7 percentage points higher than in the last quarter
The unemployment rate was 6.6% in the second quarter
Date 14.08.2026
Article
Tea Vassiljeva, leading analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that the decline in unemployment is a sign that the economy is improving. “However, there are no grounds for optimism yet, as there has been no rise in employment and the share of economically inactive people among the working-age population is substantial,” added Vassiljeva. In the second quarter, the number of employed persons was 691,600 – this is 5,700 fewer than a year earlier but 5,300 more than in the first quarter. The employment rate was 68.6%, which is slightly lower than last year and just 0.6 percentage points higher than
The Farm Structure Survey begins in September
Date 25.08.2026
Article
Eve Valdvee, the Agricultural and Technology Statistics Service Manager at Statistics Estonia, said that farm structure surveys offer a more complete picture of agriculture, including the trends in activities and the areas in need of funding. “Active participation in the survey is in the best interest of the agricultural sector – it ensures that the following data analysis and decision-making can be as accurate and relevant as possible,” emphasised Valdvee. Up to 4,000 enterprises and individuals will be surveyed. The sample list is based on register information (Agricultural Registers and
Article
The construction price index expresses the change in construction expenditures at the level of direct costs on the construction site, which are divided into three basic groups: labour force, building machines, and building materials. The calculation of the construction price index covers four groups of buildings: detached houses, blocks of flats, industrial buildings, and office buildings. The repair and reconstruction work price index covers office buildings. Ülo Paulus, leading analyst at Statistics Estonia, pointed out that, both year on year and compared with the previous quarter, the rise