Results of the Labour Force Survey conducted by the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) show that in 2021, 70.6 thousand people aged 15-74 were unemployed. Compared to 2020, the number of unemployed persons has decreased by 8.1 thousand or 10.3 %. Last year, the unemployment rate in Latvia was 7.6 %, 0.5 percentage points lower than in 2020. The unemployment rate for female remains lower than for male (6.6 % and 8.5 % respectively).

In the 4th quarter 2021, compared to the 3rd quarter, the unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 percentage point and was 7.1 %. In the 4th quarter, 66.5 thousand persons were unemployed, a decrease of 1.4 thousand or 2.1 % compared to the 3rd quarter.

In the 4th quarter compared to the 3rd quarter, the number of unemployed males decreased by 4.7 thousand or 11.6 %, while the number of unemployed females increased by 3.3 thousand or 12.1 %.

Number of unemployed persons

(thousand)

	2020	2021	2021
	2020	2021	1st quarter	2nd quarter	3rd quarter	4th quarter
Total (15-74 years)	78.7	70.6	74.7	73.4	67.9	66.5
males	44.4	40.2	40,5	43.6	40.6	35.9
females	34.3	30.5	34.2	29.8	27.3	30.6
Young people (15-24 years)	8.8	8.3	8.5	9.5	9.1	6.2

Refer to OSP database: :NBB020 un NBB160c

In the 3rd quarter 2021, the unemployment rate in Latvia (7.2 %) was 0.5 percentage points higher than the EU average (6.7 %). In the 4th quarter, Latvia's unemployment rate remained the highest in the Baltic countries; it was 5.2 % in Estonia and 7.0 % in Lithuania.

Refer to OSP database: LFSQ_URGAED, data of the 4th quarter 2021– OSP database NBB160c, Lithuania and Estonia Labour force survey

Share of unemployed persons with unemployment period up to 5 months rose in the 4th quarter

In 2021, compared to the previous year, the number of unemployed persons who had been unemployed for up to 5 months decreased by 5.2 thousand (36.3 thousand or 51.6 %) and the number of unemployed persons who had been unemployed for 6-11 months by 2.8 thousand (12.7 thousand or 18.0 %). The number of long-term unemployed who cannot find a job for 12 months or more decreased by 0.1 thousand over the year and amounted to 21.4 thousand in 2021. The share of long-term unemployed in the total number of unemployed increased by 3.0 percentage points reaching 30.3 % (27.3 % in 2020).

In the 4th quarter 2021, 35.4 thousand or 53.5 % of the unemployed were unemployed for up to 5 months (in the 3rd quarter: 33.8 thousand or 49.9 %), while 9.4 thousand or 14.2 % were unemployed for 6-11 months (in the 3rd quarter: 11.3 thousand or 16.7 %). There were 21.4 thousand long-term unemployed persons in the 4th quarter and 22.6 thousand in the 3rd quarter. The share of long-term unemployed persons in the total unemployed population was 32.3 % in the 4th quarter, a decrease of 1.1 percentage points compared to the 3rd quarter.

**Unemployed persons* by duration of unemployment**

(as per cent)

	2020	2021	2021
	2020	2021	1st quarter	2nd quarter	3rd quarter	4th quarter
Up to 5 months	52.9	51.6	51.6	51.6	49.9	53.5
6-11 months	19.8	18.0	19.2	21.6	16.7	14.2
12 and more months	27.3	30.3	29.3	26.8	33.4	32.3

*CSB calculation, totals may not add up as data are calculated from unrounded numbers.

Over the year, the number of unemployed young people has fallen by 0.5 thousand

In 2021, the youth unemployment rate was 14.8 %, 0.1 percentage points lower than a year earlier. Of the total number of unemployed persons, 8.3 thousand or 11.8 % were young people aged 15-24. The number of unemployed young people fell by 0.5 thousand over the year, while as the share in the total number of unemployed people it rose by 0.6 percentage points.

In the 4th quarter last year, the youth unemployment rate was 11.3 % - 3.6 percentage points lower than in the 3rd quarter. The number of unemployed young people fell by 2.9 thousand, reaching 6.2 thousand, or 9.3 % of the total number of unemployed people (13.4 % in the 3rd quarter).

Since 2013, the youth unemployment rate in Latvia has been lower than the EU average, however higher than in Estonia and Lithuania. In 2020, Latvia had the lowest youth unemployment rate in the Baltic countries, while in 2021, Latvia had a higher youth unemployment rate than Lithuania (14.3 %) but lower than Estonia (16.6 %).

Refer to OSP database: LFSA_URGAED data of 2021– OSP database NBB160c, Lithuania and Estonia Labour force survey

In 2021, 32.7 % of all young people were economically active, i.e. employed or actively looking for work (unemployed), while 67.3 % were inactive - mostly still in education and not looking for job.

The inactive population increased by 6.8 %

In 2021, 32.3 % or 446.8 thousand of the population aged 15 to 74 were inactive (including 162.5 thousand or 36.4 % of the 65-74 age group), i.e. not in employment and not actively looking for job. Compared to the previous year, the number of inactive persons has increased by 28.4 thousand or 6.8 %.

In the 4th quarter, 32.4 % or 446.9 thousand persons aged 15-74 were inactive. Compared to the 3rd quarter, the number of unemployed persons has increased by 11.7 thousand or 2.7 %.

In 2021, 6.0 thousand or 1.3 % of the inactive population had lost hope of finding a job (10.9 thousand or 2.6 % in 2020). In the 4th quarter, such population was 5.3 thousand or 1.2 % (in the 3rd quarter 2021: 5.1 thousand or 1.2 %).

In 2021, 18.3 thousand households with 32.4 thousand population aged 15-89 participated in the Labour Force Survey on economic activity, including 16.8 thousand households with 29.1 thousand population aged 15-74 taking part in the survey. In turn, in the 4th quarter, 4.6 thousand households with 8.0 thousand population aged 15-89 participated in the Labour Force Survey on economic activity, including 4.1 thousand households with 7.1 thousand population aged 15-74.

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

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