According to the Icelandic Labour Force Survey the number of persons in the labour force in June 2015 was 202,200. Of those in the labour force 196,400 persons were employed and 5,800 persons were unemployed. The activity rate was 86.6%, the employment rate was 84.1% and the unemployment rate was 2.9%. Between June 2014 and 2015 the activity rate increased by 1.3 percentage points and the employment rate increased by 2.7 points. At the same time the number of unemployed persons decreased by 3,200 and the unemployment rate decreased by 1.7 points.
Figure 1. Labour force June 2015
Figures may not add up because of rounding.
Seasonally adjusted unemployment was 3.2% in June
The seasonally adjusted data show that in June 2015 the number of people in the labour force was 190,800 corresponding to 83.2% activity rate. The number of unemployed persons, in June 2015, amounted to 6,100 and had decreased by 2,500 since May. The unemployment rate was 3.2% in June compared to 4.4% in May. According to the seasonal adjustment the employment rate was 80.5% in June. Between May and June, the employment rate increased by 1.3 points and the unemployment rate decreased by 1.2 points. The trend for seasonally adjusted data in the last six months shows that the unemployment rate has decreased by 0.2 percentage points and by 0.8 points for the last 12 months. The employment rate has increased by 0.6 points in the last six months and by 1.2 points in the last 12 months.
Implementation
June 2015 is divided into four weeks, from 1st to 29th of June. 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 1,193 persons. In total the number of usable answers was 939 corresponding to 78.7% response rate. All figures have been weighted by sex and age groups. The confidence limit of the results on activity rate is ±2.0 points, employment rate is ±2.2 points and unemployment rate is ±1.2 points. Figures may not add up because of rounding.
| Table 1. Labour market in June - Original | ||||||
| CI | CI | CI | ||||
| 2013 | (±95%) | 2014 | (±95%) | 2015 | (±95%) | |
| Total 16-74 years | ||||||
| Activity rate | 84.3 | 2.3 | 85.3 | 2.2 | 86.6 | 2 |
| Employment rate | 78.9 | 2.6 | 81.4 | 2.4 | 84.1 | 2.2 |
| Unemployment rate | 6.4 | 1.7 | 4.6 | 1.5 | 2.9 | 1.2 |
| Hours of work | 42.5 | 1.3 | 43.2 | 1.3 | 42.5 | 1.3 |
| Labour force | 191,000 | 5,200 | 195,300 | 5,000 | 202,200 | 4,800 |
| Employed | 178,700 | 5,800 | 186,300 | 5,600 | 196,400 | 5,200 |
| Unemployed | 12,300 | 3,300 | 9,000 | 2,900 | 5,800 | 2,300 |
| Inactive | 35,600 | 5,200 | 33,600 | 5,000 | 31,300 | 4,800 |
| Est. population | 226,500 | • | 228,800 | • | 233,500 | • |
| Table 2. Labour market last 6 months - Seasonal adjustment | ||||||
| Jan-15 | Feb-15 | Mar-15 | Apr-15 | May-15 | Jun-15 | |
| Total 16-74 years | ||||||
| Activity rate | 81.2 | 82.5 | 82.8 | 82.3 | 83.0 | 83.2 |
| Employment rate | 77.7 | 78.6 | 79.4 | 78.4 | 79.3 | 80.5 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 3.2 |
| Hours of work | 40.2 | 39.8 | 39.8 | 39.8 | 39.9 | 40.0 |
| Labour force | 189,400 | 192,100 | 191,900 | 192,000 | 194,200 | 190,800 |
| Employed | 181,200 | 183,100 | 184,100 | 183,000 | 185,600 | 184,700 |
| Unemployed | 8,200 | 9,000 | 7,800 | 9,000 | 8,600 | 6,100 |
| Inactive | 43,700 | 40,800 | 39,900 | 41,400 | 39,900 | 38,500 |
| Est. population | 233,100 | 232,900 | 231,700 | 233,400 | 234,100 | 229,400 |
| Table 3. Labour market last 6 months - Seasonal adjustment trend | ||||||
| Jan-15 | Feb-15 | Mar-15 | Apr-15 | May-15 | Jun-15 | |
| Total 16-74 years | ||||||
| Activity rate | 82.0 | 82.0 | 82.2 | 82.4 | 82.5 | 82.6 |
| Employment rate | 78.3 | 78.4 | 78.6 | 78.8 | 79.0 | 79.2 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Hours of work | 40.0 | 40.0 | 39.9 | 39.9 | 39.9 | 39.9 |
| Labour force | 189,700 | 190,600 | 191,400 | 192,000 | 192,500 | 193,000 |
| Employed | 181,300 | 182,200 | 183,100 | 183,800 | 184,400 | 184,900 |
| Unemployed | 8,400 | 8,400 | 8,300 | 8,200 | 8,200 | 8,100 |
| Inactive | 41,800 | 41,800 | 41,500 | 41,100 | 40,800 | 40,500 |
| Est. population | 231,500 | 232,400 | 232,900 | 233,100 | 233,300 | 233,600 |