Latvian unemployment rate 6.6 % in 2nd quarter

Results of the Labour Force Survey (LFS) conducted by Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia show that in the 2^nd quarter of 2022 Latvian unemployment rate constituted 6.6 %. Over the quarter it dropped by 0.7 percentage points while over the year by 1.3 percentage points.

In the 2^nd quarter of this year there were 62.8 thousand unemployed persons aged 15–74 (incl.), which is 10.6 thousand fewer than a year ago and 5.2 thousand fewer than in the previous quarter.

Number of unemployed persons

(thousands)

 Refer to the OSP database: NBB160c

In the 1^st quarter of 2022 Latvian unemployment rate (7.3 %) was 0.8 percentage points above the EU average (6.5 %). In the 2^nd quarter of 2022 Latvian unemployment rate was the highest in the Baltic countries (5.8 % in Estonia and 5.2 % in Lithuania).

Refer to the Eurostat database: LFSQ_URGAED, data on the 2^nd quarter of 2022 – OSP database: NBB160c, results of the LFS conducted by Lithuania and Estonia.

Decline in the share of long-term unemployed persons

In the 2^nd quarter of 2022, 29.2 thousand unemployed persons were unemployed for up to five months. The number is 8.4 thousand persons fewer than a year ago and 7.0 thousand persons fewer than in the previous quarter. Persons unemployed for 6–11 months accounted for 13.3 thousand people. The number has dropped by 2.5 thousand compared to the 2^nd quarter of the previous year and grown by 0.7 thousand compared to the previous quarter.

In the 2^nd quarter there were 20.3 thousand long-term unemployed persons – an increase of 0.7 thousand over the year and of 1.5 thousand over the quarter. The share of long-term unemployed in the total number of unemployed persons constituted 32.4 %, which is 4.6 percentage points more than in the previous quarter. Compared the corresponding period a year before the share has grown by 5.6 percentage points.

Unemployed persons by duration of unemployment

(per cent)

CSB estimate, the totals may not constitute 100 % as the numbers are calculated from unrounded figures.

Young people account for 15.4 % of all unemployed persons

In the 2^nd quarter of 2022 young people (aged 15–24) constituted 15.4 % of all unemployed persons. The share has gone up by 2.5 percentage points over the year and by 5.2 percentage points over the quarter. Youth unemployment rate was equal to 14.8 %, which is 1.9 percentage points lower than a year ago and 2.8 percentage points higher than in the previous quarter. The number of young unemployed persons increased by 0.2 thousand during the year and by 2.8 thousand over the quarter.

Out of all young people, 37.1 % were economically active (i.e., employed or actively looking for work (unemployed)), while 62.9 % were inactive (mostly still in education and not looking for job).

Inactive population accounts for almost one third

In the 2^nd quarter of 2022 almost one third (31.5 % or 435.6 thousand people) of the population aged 15–74 were inactive, i.e., was not in employment and not actively looking for job. Compared to the previous quarter inactive population has declined by 2.5 thousand people or 0.6 % while compared to the previous year by 12.1 thousand people or 2.7 %.

Out of the total inactive population, 5.7 thousand people or 1.3 % were discouraged from finding a job. There were 1.5 % such persons a year ago and 1.2 % in the 1^st quarter of 2021.

In the 2^nd quarter of 2022 LFS 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.

Based on Eurostat guidelines, the results of the LFS 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.

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