In the 2nd quarter, 64.0 % of the population were employed

Results of the Labour Force Survey (LFS) conducted by the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia (CSB) show that in Latvia 885.2 thousand people or 64.0 % of the population¹ aged 15–74 were employed in the 2^nd quarter of 2022.

The number of employed persons in the age group 75–89 constituted 5.4 thousand. The statistics in this news release covers people aged 15–74 (incl.).

Over the year employment rate grew by 1.7 percentage points and number of employed persons by 23.6 thousand people. Compared to the previous quarter, employment rate went up by 0.8 percentage points and number of employed persons by 15.9 thousand people.

In the 2^nd quarter, employment rate among males was 5.5 percentage points higher than among females (66.9 0% and 61.4 %, respectively).

Employed population

(thousands)

Refer to the OSP database: NBL020c

Irrespective of the fact that since the 3^rd quarter of 2012 Latvian employment rate exceeds the EU average (in Q1 2022 – 60.3 %), in the 2^nd quarter it was the lowest among the Baltic countries (68.8 % in Estonia and 66.9 % in Lithuania).

Refer to the Eurostat database: LFSQ_ERGAED, data on the 2^nd quarter of 2022 – OSP database NBL020c, results of the LFS conducted by Lithuania and Estonia.

Youth employment rate gone up by 4.0 percentage points

In the 2^nd quarter of 2022, employment rate among young people (aged 15–24) constituted 31.6 %, which is 4.0 percentage points higher than in the corresponding period a year ago. Employed young people accounted for 56.0 thousand (47.4 thousand in the 2^nd quarter of 2021).

Fewer employed in main job worked part time

In the 2^nd quarter of 2022, persons employed in the main job worked on average 38.2 hours per week, which is 0.2 hours fewer than in the previous quarter and 0.5 hours more than a year ago.

Each fourteenth employed person (62.0 thousand people or 7.0 %) worked part-time, which is 10.4 thousand people or 1.4 percentage points fewer than in the corresponding period a year ago and 9.6 thousand people or 1.2 percentage points fewer than in the previous quarter.

In the 2^nd quarter two times fewer employees worked remotely than a year ago

In the 2^nd quarter of 2022, 11.0 % of employees (83.6 thousand) worked remotely². It is 74.8 thousand people or 10.3 percentage points fewer than a year ago (158.4 thousand and 21.3 %) and 49.8 thousand people and 6.5 percentage points fewer than in the previous quarter (133.4 thousand and 17.5 %).  Females accounted for 59.5 % and males for 40.5 % of the employees working remotely.

Slightly more than one third (35.2 %) of the persons working remotely was formed by people aged 35–44 (males – 36.4 %, females – 34.3 %).  Followed by 30.7 % of employees aged 15–34, 19.0 % of those aged 45–54, and 15.1 % of those aged 55–74.

The largest share of remote workers (15.8 %) among all employees of the respective age group was observed among people aged 35–44 while smallest (6.6 %) among those aged 55–74.

Breakdown of the data by economic activity shows that 50.2 % of persons engaged in information and communication sector worked remotely, followed by 43.5 % in financial and insurance activities, 21.6 % in scientific, administrative and real estate sectors (NACE Sectors L–N), and slightly less – 20.8 % – in public administration and defence, compulsory social security. In education sector remote work was performed by 7.9 % of employees. The smallest share of remote employees (4.6 %) was observed in trade, transportation, accommodation and food service activities.

In terms of occupations, 27.5 % of professionals worked remotely, followed by 20.3 % of managers, 17.2 % of technicians and associate professionals, and 15.3 % of clerical support workers.

In the 2^nd quarter of 2022 Labour Force Survey covered 4.5 thousand households in which 7.8 thousand people aged 15–89 were interviewed, including 4.1 thousand households with 6.8 thousand people aged 15–74.

¹ Based on Eurostat guidelines, the results of the Labour Force Survey on the 2^nd quarter of 2022 are extrapolated to the population estimate that includes citizens of Ukraine who have received temporary protection in Latvia and live in private households.

² Remote work – an alternative work arrangement in which employed person performs all official duties at an approved alternative worksite away from the employers’ main workplace, including by using information and communication technologies. 

Media requests:
Communication Section
E-mail: media@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 27880666

More information on data:
Sandra Ceriņa
Social Statistics Data Compilation and Analysis Section
E-mail: Sandra.Cerina@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366653