Key findings: P0211 - Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), 3rd Quarter 2023

The official unemployment rate was 31,9% in the third quarter of 2023.

The results of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) indicate that the number of employed persons increased by 399 000 to 16,7 million in the third quarter of 2023 compared to 16,3 million in the second quarter of 2023.

The number of unemployed persons decreased by 72 000 to 7,8 million during the same quarter. Additionally, the number of people who were not economically active for reasons other than discouragement decreased by 160 000 to 13,1 million, while the discouraged work-seekers decreased by 26 000 in the third quarter of 2023 compared to the second quarter of 2023. This resulted in a net decrease of 186 000 in the not economically active population.

The above changes in employment and unemployment resulted in the official unemployment rate decreasing by 0,7 of a percentage point from 32,6% in the second quarter of 2023 to 31,9% in the third quarter of 2023. The unemployment rate according to the expanded definition decreased by 0,9 of a percentage point to 41,2% in Q3:2023 compared to Q2:2023.