Labour Force Survey

What kind of survey is it?

The Labour Force Survey assesses the labour market situation in Estonia and provides an overview of the economic activity, employment, and working conditions of the Estonian population. This is the oldest and the largest full-year personal survey in Estonia.

Who commissions the survey?

Statistics Estonia has been administering the Estonian Labour Force Survey since 1995. The survey is commissioned by Eurostat and is conducted internationally. Also, with the Labour Force Survey, data are collected commissioned by the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications.

How often is the survey conducted?

Since 2000, data are collected throughout the year and results are presented on a quarterly and annual basis.

 

Why are the data needed?

Data collected by the Labour Force Survey are used to monitor and analyse the Estonian economy and labour market developments. The data are also used by the ministries for forecasting and for the preparation of the state budget. Based also on the data of the Labour Force Survey, the implementation of national development plans, such as the National Strategy for Sustainable Development and Estonia 2035, is monitored.

The advantage of a personal interview survey over enterprise surveys and administrative data is that it provides a comprehensive view of the working-age population. For example, a survey of enterprises does not take into account workers with an informal employment relationship nor persons not working, but they are included in the Labour Force Survey. The survey uses the methodology of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which allows comparisons between countries.

How are the participants selected?

Participants in the Labour Force Survey are randomly selected from the statistical population register from among the permanent residents of Estonia aged 15 years and over. The sample person also includes his/her household in the survey and all household members aged 15 years and over are interviewed a total of four times in two years.

How are the data collected?

Before the survey starts, a notification is sent to all the people in the sample, explaining the purpose of the survey and how they will be contacted. The notification is sent to the sample person at the email address indicated in the Population Register. If no email address is available, a letter is sent by post to the address in the Population Register.

In this survey, data are collected through

• an online questionnaire
• a phone interview

The survey consists of two parts: a household questionnaire and a personal questionnaire. Only the person selected for the sample can fill in the household questionnaire online. The personal questionnaire can be filled in by any household member aged 15 and over. For this purpose, the possibility for the sample person to authorise a relevant person has been created. More detailed instructions are provided in the questionnaire.

You can log into the web environment with your ID-card, Mobile-ID, or Smart-ID.

For best service, the survey interview call is recorded with the consent of the respondent.

The interviewer will make a maximum of 10 contact attempts to reach the person selected for the sample and a maximum of 5 attempts to reach other household members.

How are the participants thanked for their contribution?

Three €50 gift vouchers are drawn among all respondents every quarter.

The sample person can consent to participate in the prize draw when filling in the questionnaire.

How can I make sure that it is a survey by Statistics Estonia?

The surveys conducted by Statistics Estonia can be found in the  survey schedule on our website. Online questionnaires can be completed on Statistics Estonia’s website at https://estat.stat.ee. Phone interviews are conducted by specially trained interviewers. The names and phone numbers of Statistics Estonia’s interviewers can be checked on our website. If you have any questions, please contact our customer support by phone at +372 625 9300 or by email at klienditugi [at] stat.ee (klienditugi[at]stat[dot]ee).

Where are the results published?

The results are published quarterly in the statistical database under the headings Social life and Labour market, and in the labour market application (available in Estonian). The results are also reported in the work life news.