Analytics, Employment, EU – Baltic States, Labour-market, Latvia

In the 1st quarter of 2016, 101.6 thousand people aged 15–74 were unemployed – 1 thousand more than a year before (in the 1st quarter of 2015 – 100.6 thousand) and 3.5 thousand more than in the 4th quarter of 2015.

In the 1st quarter of 2015, unemployment rate in Latvia was the same as average in the European Union (EU) – 10.2% – while in the 4th quarter of 2015 the indicator exceeded the EU average (9.1%) by 0.7 percentage points. Since the 3rd quarter of 2014, unemployment rate in Latvia has been the highest among the Baltic States. In the 1st quarter of 2016, unemployment rate in Estonia amounted to 6.5%, while in Lithuania – to 8.4%.

Unemployment rate in the Baltic States and on average in the European Union, %

1st quarter of 2015, and by 5.3 percentage points, as compared to the 4th quarter of 2015. In the 1st quarter of 2016, 40.2% of all young people were active. i.e., employed or actively looking for a job (unemployed), while 59.8% of young people were inactive (mainly studying and not seeking a job).

Inactive population

In the 1st quarter of 2016, 32% or 467.1 thousand of population aged 15–74 were inactive. i.e., were neither employed not actively seeking a job. As compared to the previous quarter, number of inactive population has grown by 0.5 thousand or 0.1%.

In the 1st quarter of 2016, 18.1 thousand or 3.9% of inactive population were discouraged to find a job. For comparison – in the 1st quarter of 2015 the share of such inactive population accounted for 4.8%, while in the 4th quarter of 2015 – for 4.4%.

In the 1st quarter of 2016, Labour Force Survey covered 4 thousand households, in which 7.6 thousand persons aged 15–74 were interviewed.

More information on Labour Force Survey results is available in the CSB database section Employment and Unemployment.