Unemployment up by 16,000 persons in a year

According to Katriin Põlluäär, analyst at Statistics Estonia, most of the unemployed persons had been unemployed for less than half a year. The unemployment rate among Estonians was 5.8% and among Russians 9.4%. There were 25,300 unemployed men and 22,600 unemployed women. “Unemployment rate among the working-age population was highest in Northeastern Estonia, and Ida-Viru county stood out the most. Unemployment was slightly lower in cities and towns compared to rural areas. Compared to 2019, the share of unemployed persons grew the most among clerical support workers, technicians and associate professionals,” added Põlluäär.

Last year, there were 656,600 employed persons, and proportionally their number increased the most in water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities, and postal and courier activities. The share of employed persons fell the most in repair and installation of machinery and equipment, and in forestry and logging.

Of the employed persons, 568,200 worked full-time and 88,300 worked part-time. Compared to 2019, the employment rate fell by 1.7 percentage points. “The number of full-time employed persons fell by 17,900 year on year, while the number of persons employed part-time increased by 3,200. Slightly more than a third of part-time workers have chosen this working arrangement for personal or family reasons and 28% do not wish to work full-time,” said Põlluäär.

The labour force participation rate did not change compared to 2019. Inactive persons totalled 279,700. The main reasons for inactivity were retirement, studies and illness or disability.

In the fourth quarter of 2020, the labour force participation rate was 72.4%, the employment rate was 67%, and the unemployment rate was 7.4%.

The unemployment rate is the share of the unemployed in the labour force (the sum of employed and unemployed persons). The employment rate is the share of the employed in the population aged 15–74. The labour force participation rate shows the share of the labour force in the population aged 15–74. The estimates are based on the data of the Labour Force Survey, which Statistics Estonia has been conducting since 1995. Every quarter, 5,000 persons participate in the survey. For the statistical activity, the main representative of public interest is the Ministry of Social Affairs, commissioned by whom Statistics Estonia collects and analyses the data necessary for conducting the statistical activity.

More detailed data have been published in the statistical database.

See also the labour market application of Statistics Estonia and the Ministry of Social Affairs at tooturg.stat.ee/ (in Estonian).
 

For further information:

Kadri Kütt
Media Relations Manager
Marketing and Dissemination Department
Statistics Estonia
Tel +372 625 9181

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