Compared with the outcome of previous months, the data for February 2018 indicates a somewhat larger increase in the number of employed persons and a larger decrease of unemployment. To conclude whether the positive development is persistent, additional measurements are required. The LFS is a sample survey, which is associated with some uncertainty. This may lead, in some cases, to deviations in the estimates. In addition, in the February LFS, the winter holidays may have affected data collection. The results of the 2018 February LFS should therefore be used with some caution.

In February 2018, there were 5 039 000 employed persons aged 15─74, not seasonally adjusted, which was an increase of 119 000 compared with February 2017. The number of employed men was 2 645 000, an increase of 73 000, and the number of employed women increased by 45 000 to 2 394 000. The employment rate increased by 1.0 percentage point to 67.7 percent. Among men, the employment rate increased by 1.3 percentage points to 69.9 percent and among women, it was 65.4 percent. Smoothed and seasonally adjusted data shows a continued increase in the number of employed persons and in the employment rate compared with recent months. In February 2018, there were 5 082 000 employed persons, which corresponds to an employment rate of 68.3 percent.

The number of employees aged 15─74 in February 2018 increased by 136 000 compared with February 2017 and amounted to 4 555 000, not seasonally adjusted. Among men, the number of employees was 2 301 000, an increase of 86 000. Among women, the number of employees increased by 49 000 to 2 254 000. The number of permanent employees in the same period increased by 114 000 and amounted to 3 822 000. There were 733 000 temporary employees. The number of employees in the private sector increased by 112 000 and amounted to 3 047 000. Compared with nearby months, smoothed and seasonally adjusted data shows an increase in the number of permanent employees and in the number of temporary employees.

On average, the number of hours worked in February 2018 amounted to 165.7 million per week, not seasonally adjusted. Calendar-adjusted figures show an increase of 3.0 percent compared with February 2017. Smoothed and seasonally adjusted data shows an increase in the number of hours worked per week. On average, the number of hours worked amounted to 155.1 million per week in February 2018.

In February 2018, the number of unemployed persons aged 15─74 decreased by 55 000 to 337 000, not seasonally adjusted. This corresponds to a decrease of the unemployment rate by 1.1 percentage points to 6.3 percent. There were 194 000 unemployed men, a decrease of 30 000. Correspondingly, there was a decrease of 25 000 to 143 000 unemployed women. The unemployment rate decreased by 1.2 percentage points to 6.8 percent among men and it decreased by 1.1 percentage points to 5.6 percent among women. Among young people aged 15─24, the number of unemployed people decreased by 36 000 to 95 000, of whom 59 000 were full-time students. The unemployment rate among young people decreased by 5.1 percentage points to 16.3 (±2.3) percent. Among persons aged 15–74, smoothed and seasonally adjusted data shows a decrease in both the number of unemployed persons and the unemployment rate. There were 340 000 unemployed persons in February 2018, which corresponds to an unemployment rate of 6.3 percent. Among young people aged 15─24, smoothed and seasonally adjusted data shows a decrease in both the number of unemployed persons and the unemployment rate. There were 101 000 unemployed young people, which corresponds to an unemployment rate of 16.1 percent, according to smoothed and seasonally adjusted data.

2018-04-24 at 9:30.