The unadjusted measures from the Icelandic Labour Force Survey show that 211,500 persons 16 to 74 years old belonged to the labour force in April 2019, setting the activity rate at 83.0% (±2.2). Thereof, 203,000 (±6,300) persons were employed and 8,400 (±3,100) persons were unemployed. The employment rate was 79.6% (±2.5) and the unemployment rate was 4.0% (±1.5). Comparing April 2018 and 2019 shows that the number of people in the labour force increased by 9,400 resulting in an increased proportion of the population by 0.9 percentage points. The number of employed persons increased by 10,300, and the rate increased by 1.4 percentage points.
The number of unemployed decreased by 1,000 in April 2019 compared with April 2018 when the number of unemployed was 9,400 or 4.6% of the labour force. In total, there were 43,500 inactive persons in the population in April 2019 compared to 44,100 in April 2018.
According to seasonally adjusted estimates from the Icelandic Labour Force Survey, the number of people in the labour force was 209,700 in April 2019. This corresponds to an 82.0% activity rate, which is 0.2 percentage points higher than in March. The seasonally adjusted number of unemployed persons in April 2019 was estimated to be 6,100 or 2.9%, a slight increase of 0.1 percentage point from March. The seasonally adjusted employment rate for April was 79.6%, which is a decrease of 0.3 percentage points from the month before.
The seasonally adjusted trend over the last six months shows that all measures of the labour force are almost at a standstill. There is a slight decrease, by 0.1 percentage point in employment rate and on the other hand unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percentage point.
Flow Chart — Labour force 16–74 years — April 2019 measures.
Figures may not add up because of rounding. CI (95%) Unemployment rate: Total ±1.5; males ±2.1; females ±2.1.
About the data
April 2019 is divided into four weeks, from April 1st to April 28th 2019. The total sample size for the Labour Force Survey in April was 1,533 persons 16–74 years old who were randomly selected from the registered population. When individuals out of scope had been removed from the sample, the net sample was 1,505 persons. In total, the number of responses was 907 individuals corresponding to a response rate of 60.3%.
It should be noted that all numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred, and results are weighted by sex and age groups. All numbers for April 2019 are preliminary until the end of the 2nd quarter.
| Table 1. Labour market in March — Original | ||||||
| CI | CI | CI | ||||
| 2017 | (±95%) | 2018 | (±95%) | 2019 | (±95%) | |
| Total 16–74 years | ||||||
| Activity rate | 83.0 | 2,6 | 82.1 | 2,3 | 83.0 | 2,2 |
| Employment rate | 80.6 | 2,7 | 78.3 | 2,6 | 79.6 | 2,5 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0 | 1,4 | 4.6 | 1,6 | 4.0 | 1,5 |
| Hours of work | 38.3 | 1,5 | 39.7 | 1,2 | 37.3 | 1,2 |
| Labour force | 198,500 | 6,100 | 202,100 | 5,800 | 211,500 | 5,700 |
| Employed | 192,600 | 6,600 | 192,700 | 6,400 | 203,000 | 6,300 |
| Unemployed | 5,900 | 2,800 | 9,400 | 3,200 | 8,400 | 3,100 |
| Inactive | 40,500 | 6,100 | 44,100 | 5,800 | 43,500 | 5,700 |
| Est. population | 239,000 | . | 246,200 | . | 254,900 | . |
| Table 2. Labour market last 6 months — seasonal adjustment | ||||||
| Nov-18 | Dec-18 | Jan-19 | Feb-19 | Mar-19 | Apr-19 | |
| Total 16–74 years | ||||||
| Activity rate | 82.4 | 80.9 | 81.9 | 81.2 | 82.2 | 82.0 |
| Employment rate | 79.5 | 79.5 | 79.6 | 78.6 | 79.9 | 79.6 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 2.9 |
| Hours of work | 38.8 | 38.9 | 40.1 | 39.2 | 39.4 | 40.0 |
| Labour force | 209,700 | 204,700 | 207,900 | 206,600 | 209,500 | 209,700 |
| Employed | 202,400 | 201,300 | 202,100 | 200,000 | 203,700 | 203,600 |
| Unemployed | 7,400 | 3,500 | 5,700 | 6,500 | 5,800 | 6,100 |
| Inactive | 44,700 | 48,400 | 46,000 | 47,900 | 45,400 | 46,100 |
| Est. population | 254,500 | 253,200 | 253,900 | 254,500 | 255,000 | 255,800 |
| Table 2. Labour market last 6 months — seasonal adjustment | ||||||
| Nov-18 | Dec-18 | Jan-19 | Feb-19 | Mar-19 | Apr-19 | |
| Total 16–74 years | ||||||
| Activity rate | 82.4 | 80.9 | 81.9 | 81.2 | 82.2 | 82.0 |
| Employment rate | 79.5 | 79.5 | 79.6 | 78.6 | 79.9 | 79.6 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 2.9 |
| Hours of work | 38.8 | 38.9 | 40.1 | 39.2 | 39.4 | 40.0 |
| Labour force | 209,700 | 204,700 | 207,900 | 206,600 | 209,500 | 209,700 |
| Employed | 202,400 | 201,300 | 202,100 | 200,000 | 203,700 | 203,600 |
| Unemployed | 7,400 | 3,500 | 5,700 | 6,500 | 5,800 | 6,100 |
| Inactive | 44,700 | 48,400 | 46,000 | 47,900 | 45,400 | 46,100 |
| Est. population | 254,500 | 253,200 | 253,900 | 254,500 | 255,000 | 255,800 |