OECD unemployment rate falls to 5.2% in April 2019
The OECD unemployment rate fell by 0.1 percentage point, to 5.2%, in April 2019. Across the OECD, 33.2 million people were unemployed.
In the euro area, the unemployment rate declined in April by 0.1 percentage point for the second consecutive month, to 7.6%. It fell by 0.2 percentage point in Spain (to 13.8%, having decreased almost every month since its July 2013 peak) and Lithuania (to 5.8%). By contrast, the unemployment rate increased by 0.2 percentage point in Portugal, to 6.7%, but remained more than 10 percentage points below its January 2013 peak.
Outside Europe, the unemployment rate decreased in the United States (by 0.2 percentage point, to 3.6%), Canada (by 0.1 percentage point, to 5.7%) and Japan (by 0.1 percentage point, to 2.4%), while it increased by 0.3 percentage point in Korea, to 4.1%. The unemployment rate was stable at 3.5% in Mexico. More recent data for May show that the unemployment rate declined further in Canada (by 0.3 percentage point, to 5.4%, the lowest level since comparable data became available in 1976) and was stable in the United States (at 3.6%).
In April, the OECD unemployment rate for youth (people aged 15 to 24) was stable at 11.1%, with 8.1 million young people unemployed across the OECD. In the euro area, the youth unemployment rate continued its downward trend in April (down 0.1 percentage point, to 15.8%), with decreases by 1.0 percentage point or more in Ireland, Latvia and Spain. However, the youth unemployment rate remained above 30% in Italy (31.4%), Spain (32.7%) and Greece (40.4% in March, the latest month available).
Table 1: OECD Unemployment Rates, s.a.
Percentage of the labour force
2016
2017
2018
2018
2019
2018
2019
Q2
Q3
Q4
Q1
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
OECD – Total
6.3
5.8
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.3
5.3
5.2
Major Seven
5.5
5.0
4.6
4.6
4.5
4.4
4.4
4.4
4.5
4.5
4.4
4.4
4.3
European Union
8.6
7.6
6.8
6.9
6.7
6.6
6.5
6.6
6.6
6.5
6.5
6.4
6.4
Euro area
10.0
9.1
8.2
8.3
8.0
7.9
7.8
7.9
7.9
7.8
7.8
7.7
7.6
Australia
5.7
5.6
5.3
5.4
5.2
5.0
5.0
5.1
5.0
5.0
4.9
5.1
5.2
Austria
6.0
5.5
4.9
4.8
4.9
4.7
4.7
4.6
4.6
4.7
4.7
4.8
4.7
Belgium (1)
7.9
7.1
6.0
6.2
5.7
5.8
5.8
5.8
5.8
5.8
5.8
5.7
5.7
Canada (2)
7.0
6.3
5.8
5.9
5.9
5.6
5.8
5.6
5.6
5.8
5.8
5.8
5.7
Chile
6.5
6.7
7.0
6.8
6.9
7.2
6.9
7.2
7.1
7.0
6.9
6.9
Czech Republic
4.0
2.9
2.3
2.3
2.3
2.1
2.0
2.0
2.1
2.0
1.9
2.0
2.1
Denmark
6.2
5.7
5.0
5.0
4.9
5.0
5.3
5.1
5.0
5.2
5.2
5.4
5.3
Estonia
6.8
5.8
5.4
5.1
5.4
4.6
4.3
4.4
4.2
4.3
4.6
4.1
Finland
8.8
8.6
7.4
7.6
7.2
6.9
6.7
6.9
6.7
6.7
6.7
6.8
6.8
France
10.1
9.4
9.1
9.1
9.0
8.9
8.7
8.9
8.9
8.8
8.7
8.7
8.7
Germany
4.1
3.8
3.4
3.4
3.4
3.3
3.2
3.3
3.3
3.2
3.2
3.2
3.2
Greece
23.6
21.5
19.3
19.5
18.9
18.6
18.4
18.6
18.5
18.6
18.4
18.1
Hungary
5.1
4.2
3.7
3.7
3.7
3.7
3.4
3.7
3.7
3.5
3.4
3.4
Iceland
3.0
2.8
2.7
2.9
2.7
2.8
3.0
2.8
2.8
3.0
3.0
3.0
Ireland
8.4
6.7
5.8
5.9
5.7
5.6
5.0
5.6
5.5
5.2
5.0
4.7
4.6
Israel
4.8
4.2
4.0
4.0
4.1
4.2
4.0
4.1
4.2
4.2
4.0
3.9
3.8
Italy
11.7
11.2
10.6
10.7
10.3
10.6
10.4
10.6
10.5
10.5
10.5
10.2
10.2
Japan
3.1
2.8
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.4
2.5
2.4
2.5
2.3
2.5
2.4
Korea
3.7
3.7
3.8
3.8
4.0
3.8
4.0
3.8
3.8
4.4
3.7
3.8
4.1
Latvia
9.6
8.7
7.4
7.7
7.1
6.9
6.6
6.9
6.9
6.8
6.6
6.4
6.4
Lithuania
7.9
7.1
6.2
6.1
6.2
5.9
6.0
5.8
5.8
5.9
6.0
6.0
5.8
Luxembourg
6.3
5.6
5.4
5.6
5.4
5.1
5.3
5.1
5.0
5.1
5.3
5.5
5.5
Mexico
3.9
3.4
3.3
3.4
3.3
3.4
3.4
3.4
3.6
3.4
3.4
3.5
3.5
Netherlands
6.0
4.9
3.8
3.9
3.8
3.6
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.6
3.4
3.3
3.3
New Zealand
5.1
4.7
4.3
4.4
4.0
4.3
4.2
Norway
4.8
4.2
3.9
3.8
4.0
3.8
3.7
3.8
3.7
3.8
3.8
3.5
Poland
6.2
4.9
3.9
3.7
3.9
3.8
3.8
3.8
3.8
3.8
3.8
3.8
3.7
Portugal
11.2
9.0
7.1
7.0
6.8
6.6
6.5
6.7
6.6
6.6
6.5
6.5
6.7
Slovak Republic
9.7
8.1
6.5
6.7
6.3
6.0
5.8
6.0
5.9
5.9
5.8
5.7
5.7
Slovenia
8.0
6.6
5.1
5.3
5.1
4.4
4.4
4.4
4.3
4.3
4.4
4.4
4.4
Spain
19.7
17.2
15.3
15.4
15.0
14.5
14.2
14.5
14.4
14.3
14.2
14.0
13.8
Sweden
7.0
6.7
6.3
6.3
6.5
6.2
6.3
6.2
6.4
6.0
6.2
6.7
5.9
Switzerland
4.9
4.8
4.7
4.8
4.4
4.7
4.7
Turkey
10.9
10.9
11.0
10.6
11.3
12.2
12.2
12.7
13.3
13.6
United Kingdom
4.8
4.4
4.0
4.0
4.0
3.9
3.9
3.8
3.8
3.7
United States (3)
4.9
4.4
3.9
3.9
3.8
3.8
3.9
3.7
3.9
4.0
3.8
3.8
3.6
Notes:
(1) Belgium: Due to a methodological break in the Labour Force Survey, data from the 1st quarter of 2017 onwards are not comparable with previous data.
(2) Canada: Unemployment rate for May 2019 was 5.4%.
(3) United States: Unemployment rate for May 2019 was 3.6%.
Table 2: Unemployment Rates by Gender, s.a.
Percentage of the labour force of each group
Women
Men
2018
2018
2019
2019
2018
2018
2019
2019
Q4
Q1
Feb
Mar
Apr
Q4
Q1
Feb
Mar
Apr
OECD – Total
5.4
5.4
5.4
5.4
5.3
5.3
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.1
Major Seven
4.5
4.4
4.4
4.4
4.3
4.2
4.6
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.4
European Union
7.1
6.9
6.8
6.8
6.8
6.7
6.6
6.4
6.2
6.2
6.1
6.1
Euro area
8.6
8.3
8.2
8.2
8.1
8.1
7.9
7.6
7.4
7.4
7.3
7.2
Australia
5.3
5.0
5.1
4.9
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.0
5.0
4.9
5.1
5.2
Austria
4.7
4.4
4.6
4.6
4.7
4.7
5.1
4.9
4.8
4.8
4.9
4.7
Belgium
5.6
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.3
6.3
6.2
6.2
6.2
6.2
6.2
Canada
5.5
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.4
5.4
6.1
6.0
6.2
6.2
6.1
6.0
Chile
7.7
8.1
7.6
7.6
7.8
6.4
6.6
6.4
6.4
6.3
Czech Republic
2.8
2.6
2.3
2.2
2.3
2.5
1.8
1.6
1.7
1.7
1.8
1.8
Denmark
5.2
5.0
5.6
5.7
5.7
5.6
4.8
4.9
4.9
4.8
5.1
5.0
Estonia
5.3
5.1
4.5
4.8
4.2
5.4
4.1
4.2
4.5
4.0
Finland
7.3
6.7
6.4
6.4
6.3
6.3
7.4
7.0
7.0
7.0
7.2
7.2
France
9.1
9.0
8.7
8.7
8.7
8.7
9.0
8.9
8.7
8.7
8.7
8.6
Germany
2.9
2.9
2.9
2.9
2.9
2.9
3.8
3.6
3.5
3.5
3.5
3.4
Greece
24.2
23.6
23.1
23.1
22.8
15.4
14.6
14.6
14.6
14.4
Hungary
4.0
3.7
3.4
3.4
3.3
3.5
3.6
3.4
3.3
3.4
Iceland
2.6
2.6
2.7
2.7
2.7
2.9
2.9
3.3
3.3
3.3
Ireland
5.7
5.6
4.6
4.6
4.3
4.3
5.8
5.6
5.3
5.3
5.1
4.9
Israel
4.0
4.2
4.2
4.2
4.2
4.1
4.0
4.1
3.9
3.9
3.6
3.6
Italy
11.8
11.7
11.5
11.6
11.2
11.3
9.8
9.7
9.6
9.7
9.5
9.4
Japan
2.2
2.2
2.3
2.2
2.2
2.3
2.6
2.6
2.6
2.5
2.8
2.5
Korea
3.7
3.6
3.8
3.6
3.6
3.7
3.9
4.0
4.0
3.7
3.9
4.3
Latvia
6.4
6.2
5.7
5.7
5.7
6.0
8.4
7.7
7.5
7.5
7.1
6.7
Lithuania
5.4
5.4
5.6
5.6
5.8
5.6
6.9
6.4
6.3
6.4
6.3
6.0
Luxembourg
5.7
5.4
5.6
5.6
5.9
5.9
5.1
4.9
4.9
4.9
5.1
5.2
Mexico
3.5
3.6
3.6
3.5
3.7
3.7
3.2
3.3
3.3
3.3
3.4
3.4
Netherlands
4.0
3.7
3.5
3.5
3.4
3.3
3.7
3.5
3.4
3.3
3.3
3.3
New Zealand
4.5
4.2
4.5
4.2
4.4
3.9
Norway
3.6
3.7
3.6
3.7
3.4
4.1
3.9
3.7
3.8
3.5
Poland
3.9
4.0
4.4
4.4
4.4
4.4
3.9
3.7
3.3
3.3
3.2
3.2
Portugal
7.4
7.2
7.3
7.2
7.2
7.4
6.6
6.1
5.8
5.8
5.7
6.0
Slovak Republic
7.0
6.6
6.3
6.3
6.3
6.3
6.1
5.6
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.2
Slovenia
5.7
5.0
5.1
5.1
5.3
5.3
4.6
3.9
3.7
3.7
3.6
3.6
Spain
17.0
16.3
16.1
16.1
16.0
15.8
13.7
12.9
12.5
12.5
12.3
12.1
Sweden
6.2
6.2
6.3
6.4
6.5
5.8
6.4
6.2
6.3
6.1
6.8
6.0
Switzerland
5.1
5.1
5.4
4.4
4.4
4.1
Turkey (1)
13.9
14.4
16.0
9.6
11.1
12.4
United Kingdom
4.0
3.8
3.6
4.1
4.0
3.8
United States
3.8
3.8
3.8
3.8
3.7
3.4
4.0
3.8
4.0
3.9
3.9
3.7
Note:
Turkey: Due to changes introduced in the Labour Force Survey, data by gender from January 2014 onwards are OECD estimates.
Table 3: Unemployment Rates by Age, s.a.
Percentage of the labour force of each group
Youth (15-24)
Prime-age and Older Workers (25+)
2018
2018
2019
2019
2018
2018
2019
2019
Q4
Q1
Feb
Mar
Apr
Q4
Q1
Feb
Mar
Apr
OECD – Total
11.1
11.1
11.2
11.2
11.1
11.1
4.6
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.5
4.5
Major Seven
9.8
9.5
9.6
9.6
9.5
9.3
3.9
3.8
3.8
3.8
3.8
3.7
European Union
15.2
14.8
14.4
14.4
14.3
14.2
6.0
5.8
5.7
5.7
5.6
5.6
Euro area
16.9
16.5
16.1
16.1
15.9
15.8
7.4
7.1
7.0
7.0
6.9
6.8
Australia
11.8
11.3
11.4
11.1
11.7
11.8
4.0
3.8
3.8
3.7
3.8
3.9
Austria
9.4
8.7
7.9
7.6
8.0
8.2
4.3
4.1
4.3
4.3
4.3
4.3
Belgium (1)
15.9
12.9
12.9
12.9
12.9
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.2
5.1
5.1
Canada
11.1
11.0
10.9
10.8
10.7
10.3
5.0
4.8
5.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
Chile
17.6
17.9
18.5
18.5
18.7
5.8
6.0
5.7
5.7
5.7
Czech Republic
6.7
5.4
6.2
6.0
6.6
6.9
2.0
1.9
1.7
1.7
1.7
1.8
Denmark
9.3
8.8
10.0
9.9
10.1
9.5
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.4
4.5
4.5
Estonia
11.7
11.2
7.6
7.1
7.6
4.8
4.0
4.1
4.4
3.8
Finland
16.9
17.3
16.8
16.8
16.7
16.7
6.1
5.5
5.3
5.3
5.4
5.4
France
20.7
20.3
20.1
20.1
20.1
20.1
7.8
7.7
7.5
7.5
7.5
7.4
Germany
6.2
5.8
5.4
5.4
5.3
5.3
3.1
3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
2.9
Greece
39.9
39.7
39.8
39.4
40.4
18.2
17.5
17.2
17.3
16.9
Hungary
10.2
10.6
11.3
11.0
11.3
3.2
3.2
2.8
2.8
2.8
Iceland
6.0
7.1
7.6
7.8
7.2
2.1
2.0
2.1
2.1
2.2
Ireland
13.7
13.1
12.0
12.0
11.3
10.3
4.7
4.5
4.0
4.0
3.8
3.8
Israel (2)
7.1
7.3
5.8
6.1
4.4
6.0
3.4
3.7
3.5
3.5
3.3
3.1
Italy
32.3
32.6
31.9
32.4
30.6
31.4
9.3
9.2
Japan
3.7
3.3
3.4
3.4
3.6
3.9
2.3
2.3
2.4
2.2
2.4
2.3
Korea
10.5
10.4
10.3
9.9
10.8
11.9
3.4
3.4
3.5
3.3
3.3
3.5
Latvia
12.3
12.4
13.6
13.9
12.8
11.5
7.1
6.6
6.1
6.1
6.0
6.0
Lithuania
11.2
10.7
10.3
10.2
10.5
10.8
5.8
5.5
5.6
5.6
5.6
5.4
Luxembourg
13.6
11.6
12.2
12.3
12.8
13.0
4.7
4.6
4.6
4.6
4.8
4.8
Mexico
6.9
7.1
6.9
7.0
6.9
6.7
2.6
2.6
2.7
2.6
2.8
2.8
Netherlands
7.2
6.9
6.4
6.4
6.4
6.2
3.2
3.0
2.9
2.8
2.8
2.7
New Zealand
11.5
12.8
11.7
3.0
2.8
2.8
Norway
9.6
10.1
10.1
10.2
9.6
3.0
2.9
2.7
2.8
2.6
Poland
11.8
11.6
10.7
10.6
10.6
10.6
3.2
3.2
3.2
3.2
3.2
3.2
Portugal
20.3
19.2
17.2
16.9
17.2
17.2
6.0
5.6
5.7
5.7
5.7
5.9
Slovak Republic
14.9
13.0
11.9
11.8
11.9
12.0
5.9
5.5
5.3
5.3
5.3
5.3
Slovenia (3)
8.8
6.7
7.8
7.8
7.8
4.8
4.2
4.1
4.1
4.0
4.0
Spain
34.4
33.5
34.1
34.3
33.8
32.7
13.9
13.1
12.7
12.7
12.6
12.4
Sweden
16.5
17.0
17.9
17.9
18.1
16.9
5.0
4.8
4.9
4.8
5.2
4.5
Switzerland
7.9
7.9
7.1
4.3
4.3
4.4
Turkey
20.3
22.6
24.8
9.2
10.2
11.4
United Kingdom
11.3
11.1
10.2
3.0
2.8
2.8
United States
8.6
8.4
8.9
8.9
8.8
8.3
3.2
3.1
3.1
3.1
3.1
2.9
Notes:
(1) Belgium: Quarterly data are shown for youth unemployment.
(2) Israel: Data shown in this table are not seasonally adjusted.
(3) Slovenia: Quarterly data are shown for youth unemployment.
Table 4: Unemployment Levels, s.a.
Thousands of persons
2017
2018
2018
2019
2019
Q3
Q4
Q1
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
OECD – Total
36,282
33,697
33,454
33,497
33,873
34,296
33,613
33,721
33,242
Major Seven
18,890
17,410
17,132
17,084
17,129
17,442
16,970
16,974
16,515
European Union
18,777
16,891
16,665
16,385
16,043
16,171
16,049
15,910
15,802
Euro area
14,751
13,392
13,150
12,988
12,724
12,829
12,750
12,593
12,529
Australia
724
702
690
673
675
678
664
683
704
Austria
248
220
222
211
214
212
214
217
214
Belgium (1)
354
301
290
292
295
296
294
294
294
Canada
1,247
1,155
1,170
1,129
1,160
1,162
1,161
1,157
1,159
Chile
592
628
620
652
625
631
625
629
Czech Republic
155
121
122
112
108
109
105
109
112
Denmark
171
150
148
151
160
158
158
164
161
Estonia
41
38
38
32
30
30
32
29
Finland
234
202
199
188
185
184
185
186
187
France
2,788
2,700
2,681
2,670
2,599
2,622
2,592
2,583
2,575
Germany
1,621
1,468
1,458
1,428
1,397
1,405
1,397
1,388
1,377
Greece
1,027
915
899
876
863
875
865
850
Hungary
192
172
175
171
160
165
158
157
Iceland
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
Ireland
158
138
136
134
120
126
120
114
111
Israel
168
163
166
171
167
172
167
160
157
Italy
2,909
2,761
2,669
2,745
2,701
2,718
2,737
2,647
2,652
Japan
1,896
1,665
1,657
1,663
1,687
1,720
1,600
1,740
1,680
Korea
1,023
1,073
1,109
1,080
1,106
1,225
1,033
1,058
1,139
Latvia
85
73
70
68
65
67
65
63
62
Lithuania
103
90
90
86
88
87
88
88
85
Luxembourg
16
16
16
15
16
15
16
16
17
Mexico
1,854
1,850
1,854
1,888
1,948
1,941
1,899
2,004
1,978
Netherlands
438
350
348
331
316
329
312
307
300
New Zealand
127
118
111
120
116
Norway
116
109
112
107
104
107
106
98
Poland
844
659
671
647
640
641
639
639
638
Portugal
465
363
351
344
338
342
337
335
346
Slovak Republic
224
180
174
165
160
162
160
159
158
Slovenia
67
53
53
45
45
45
45
45
45
Spain
3,917
3,479
3,412
3,313
3,240
3,270
3,243
3,208
3,165
Sweden
359
343
356
340
347
331
344
367
323
Switzerland
234
231
215
232
231
Turkey
3,451
3,544
3,669
3,961
4,302
4,415
United Kingdom
1,447
1,347
1,354
1,307
1,280
1,248
United States
6,982
6,314
6,143
6,141
6,327
6,535
6,235
6,211
5,824
Note:
–
Belgium: Due to a methodological break in the Labour Force Survey, data from the 1st quarter of 2017 onwards are not comparable with previous data.
Methodological Notes: http://www.oecd.org/sdd/labour-stats/44743407.pdf
The OECD area unemployment rate is calculated as the total number of unemployed persons in all OECD countries as a percentage of the total labour force (i.e., the unemployed plus those in employment); this is equivalent to an average of unemployment rates of all OECD countries weighted by the labour force of each country. Rates and levels are seasonally adjusted (s.a.).
Labour Market Statistics: http://stats.oecd.org/index.aspx?queryid=36324
Country Note: Statistical data for Israel are supplied by and under the responsibility of the relevant Israeli authorities. The use of such data by the OECD is without prejudice to the status of the Golan Heights, East Jerusalem and Israeli settlements in the West Bank under the terms of international law.
Contacts: For further information readers are invited to contact the OECD’s Media Relations Division on
(33) 1 45 24 97 00 or e-mail news.contact@oecd.org
For technical questions contact stat.contact@oecd.org
Next release: Tuesday, 9 July 2019
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