According to the Icelandic Labour Force Survey the number of persons in the labour force in September 2015 was 188,400. Of those in the labour force 181,300 persons were employed and 7,100 persons were unemployed. The activity rate was 81.4%, the employment rate was 78.4% and the unemployment rate was 3.8%. Between September 2014 and 2015, the activity rate increased by 2.3 percentage points and the employment rate increased by 2.5 points. On the other hand the unemployment rate decreased by 0.3 points from 4.1% in September 2014.
Figure 1. Labour force September 2015
Figures may not add up because of rounding.
Seasonally adjusted unemployment was 4% in September
The seasonally adjusted data show that the number of people in the labour force was 190,600 in September 2015 corresponding to an 83% activity rate. According to the seasonal adjustment the unemployment rate was 4% in September compared to 4.1% in August. The number of unemployed persons amounted to 7,600 and had decreased by 300 since August. The employment rate was 79.7% in September. Between August and September, the employment rate decreased by 0.3 points. The trend for seasonally adjusted data in the last six months shows a decrease by 0.1 percentage points in the unemployment rate and 0.4 points decrease for the last 12 months. The employment rate has increased by 0.2 points in the last six months and by 0.6 points in the last 12 months.
Implementation
September 2015 is divided into four weeks, from 31st of August to 27th of September. The total sample size was 1,212 persons, 16–74 years, randomly chosen from the Population Register. When those who had passed away and those who were living abroad had been deducted from the sample, the net sample was 1,180 persons. In total the number of usable answers was 906 corresponding to a 76.8% response rate. All figures have been weighted by sex and age groups. The confidence limit of the results on the activity rate is ±2.5 points, employment rate ±2.7 points and unemployment rate ±1.5 points. Figures may not add up because of rounding.
| Table 1. Labour market in September - Original | ||||||
| CI | CI | CI | ||||
| 2013 | (±95%) | 2014 | (±95%) | 2015 | (±95%) | |
| Total 16-74 years | ||||||
| Activity rate | 81.8 | 2.5 | 79.2 | 2.6 | 81.4 | 2.5 |
| Employment rate | 77.6 | 2.7 | 75.9 | 2.7 | 78.4 | 2.7 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2 | 1.6 | 4.1 | 1.5 | 3.8 | 1.5 |
| Hours of work | 41.2 | 1.3 | 39.9 | 1.3 | 40.7 | 1.3 |
| Labour force | 186,700 | 5,700 | 183,200 | 6,000 | 188,400 | 5,900 |
| Employed | 177,000 | 6,100 | 175,700 | 6,300 | 181,300 | 6,300 |
| Unemployed | 9,700 | 2,900 | 7,500 | 2,700 | 7,100 | 2,800 |
| Inactive | 41,500 | 5,700 | 48,200 | 6,000 | 42,900 | 5,900 |
| Est. population | 228,200 | • | 231,400 | • | 231,300 | • |
| Table 2. Labour market last 6 months - Seasonal adjustment | ||||||
| Apr-15 | May-15 | Jun-15 | Jul-15 | Aug-15 | Sep-15 | |
| Total 16-74 years | ||||||
| Activity rate | 82.4 | 82.8 | 82.8 | 81.4 | 83.4 | 83.0 |
| Employment rate | 78.5 | 78.9 | 80.1 | 78.2 | 80.0 | 79.7 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7 | 4.7 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.0 |
| Hours of work | 39.8 | 40.0 | 40.0 | 40.2 | 39.8 | 40.2 |
| Labour force | 192,200 | 194,400 | 190,500 | 188,500 | 192,500 | 190,600 |
| Employed | 183,100 | 185,300 | 184,400 | 181,000 | 184,600 | 182,900 |
| Unemployed | 9,100 | 9,100 | 6,100 | 7,500 | 7,900 | 7,600 |
| Inactive | 41,200 | 40,400 | 39,600 | 43,100 | 38,200 | 39,100 |
| Est. population | 233,400 | 234,800 | 230,100 | 231,600 | 230,800 | 229,600 |
| Table 3. Labour market last 6 months - Seasonal adjustment trend | ||||||
| Apr-15 | May-15 | Jun-15 | Jul-15 | Aug-15 | Sep-15 | |
| Total 16-74 years | ||||||
| Activity rate | 82.4 | 82.5 | 82.6 | 82.6 | 82.5 | 82.5 |
| Employment rate | 78.8 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 | 79.0 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.3 |
| Hours of work | 40.0 | 40.0 | 40.0 | 40.0 | 40.0 | 40.0 |
| Labour force | 191,800 | 192,000 | 192,100 | 191,900 | 191,700 | 191,600 |
| Employed | 183,400 | 183,800 | 183,800 | 183,600 | 183,500 | 183,500 |
| Unemployed | 8,400 | 8,300 | 8,200 | 8,200 | 8,200 | 8,200 |
| Inactive | 41,000 | 40,700 | 40,500 | 40,500 | 40,600 | 40,700 |
| Est. population | 232,800 | 232,700 | 232,600 | 232,400 | 232,300 | 232,300 |