OECD unemployment rate at 8.0% in April 2013
The OECD unemployment rate was stable at 8.0% in April 2013, unchanged from the previous month.
In the euro area, the unemployment rate hit a new record high - up 0.1 percentage point to 12.2% in April, 1.3 percentage point above its mid-90’s peak.
In April, the unemployment rate decreased in the United States (by 0.1 percentage point to 7.5%) and in Korea (by 0.1 percentage point to 3.1%), while it was stable in Canada (at 7.2%) and in Japan (at 4.1%). More recent data referring to the month of May show that the unemployment rate increased in the United States (by 0.1 percentage point to 7.6%) while it fell in Canada (by 0.1 percentage point to 7.1%).
Trends in unemployment rates across OECD countries have diverged significantly since the beginning of the economic and financial crisis. In May 2013, unemployment rates were significantly below the peaks reached in the second half of 2009 in Canada and the United States (1.6 and 2.4 percentage points lower, respectively). In April, the unemployment rate in Japan was close to its pre-crisis level while it was significantly below that level in Germany (2.0 percentage points lower). By contrast, the unemployment rate reached a new peak in several European countries, including France (at 11.0%), Greece (at 27.0% in February, the latest month available), Italy (at 12.0%), Portugal (at 17.8%) and Spain (at 26.8%).
Overall, there were 48.5 million people unemployed in the OECD area in April 2013, 0.2 million more than in March and 13.7 million more than in July 2008.
OECD Harmonised Unemployment Rates, s.a.
(1) For the United Kingdom, latest data refer to February 2013.
Methodological Notes: http://www.oecd.org/std/labourstatistics/44743407.pdf All rates and levels quoted are seasonally adjusted (s.a.).
New Labour Market Statistics: http://stats.oecd.org/index.aspx?queryid=36324
Country Note: The 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.
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Euro area United States
Japan OECD Total
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Canada France Germany Italy Japan United Kingdom
(1) United States
Euro area
OECD
Apr-13 Highest rate since Jul-08 Jul-08
Table 1: OECD Unemployment Rates, s.a.
Percentage of active population
2010 2011 2012 2012 2013 2012 2013
Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
OECD - Total 8.3 8.0 8.0 7.9 8.0 8.0 8.1 8.0 8.0 8.1 8.1 8.0 8.0 Major Seven 8.2 7.7 7.4 7.4 7.4 7.3 7.3 7.3 7.3 7.4 7.4 7.3 7.3 European Union 9.7 9.7 10.5 10.4 10.5 10.7 10.9 10.7 10.8 10.9 10.9 11.0 11.0 Euro area 10.1 10.1 11.4 11.3 11.5 11.8 12.1 11.8 11.8 12.0 12.1 12.1 12.2
Australia 5.2 5.1 5.2 5.1 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.3 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.6 5.5
Austria 4.4 4.1 4.4 4.3 4.5 4.6 4.9 4.5 4.7 4.9 5.0 4.9 4.9
Belgium 8.3 7.2 7.6 7.6 7.7 8.0 8.2 8.0 8.1 8.1 8.2 8.2 8.4
Canada (1) 8.0 7.5 7.2 7.3 7.3 7.2 7.1 7.2 7.1 7.0 7.0 7.2 7.2
Chile 8.2 7.1 6.4 6.3 6.2 6.5 6.3 6.5 6.4 6.5 6.3 6.4
Czech Republic 7.3 6.7 7.0 6.9 7.0 7.2 7.2 7.2 7.2 7.1 7.2 7.2 7.2
Denmark 7.5 7.6 7.5 7.9 7.4 7.3 7.2 7.3 7.3 7.3 7.2 7.0 7.0
Estonia 16.9 12.6 10.1 10.0 10.0 9.8 9.3 9.9 9.8 9.8 9.3 8.7
Finland 8.4 7.8 7.7 7.7 7.8 7.9 8.1 7.9 8.0 8.0 8.1 8.1 8.2
France 9.7 9.6 10.3 10.2 10.3 10.5 10.8 10.5 10.6 10.7 10.8 11.0 11.0
Germany 7.1 6.0 5.5 5.5 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4
Greece 12.6 17.7 24.3 23.9 25.5 26.1 26.3 25.9 26.7 27.0 Hungary 11.2 11.0 10.9 11.0 10.7 10.9 10.9 10.9 11.0 11.1 11.1 10.6
Iceland 7.6 7.1 6.0 6.1 5.9 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.6
Ireland 13.9 14.7 14.7 14.9 14.7 14.3 13.7 14.3 14.0 13.8 13.7 13.7 13.5
Israel 6.6 5.6 6.9 6.9 6.8 6.8 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.5 6.7 6.6 6.9
Italy 8.4 8.4 10.7 10.6 10.8 11.3 11.9 11.3 11.4 11.9 11.9 11.9 12.0
Japan 5.1 4.6 4.4 4.4 4.3 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.3 4.2 4.3 4.1 4.1
Korea 3.7 3.4 3.2 3.3 3.1 3.0 3.3 3.0 3.0 3.2 3.5 3.2 3.1
Luxembourg 4.6 4.8 5.1 5.1 5.2 5.2 5.5 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.6
Mexico 5.4 5.2 5.0 5.0 4.8 5.0 5.0 5.2 5.0 5.2 4.9 4.9 5.2
Netherlands 4.5 4.5 5.3 5.1 5.3 5.6 6.2 5.6 5.8 6.0 6.2 6.4 6.5
New Zealand 6.5 6.5 6.9 6.8 7.3 6.8 6.2
Norway 3.6 3.3 3.2 3.0 3.1 3.5 3.6 3.5 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.7
Poland 9.7 9.7 10.1 10.0 10.2 10.4 10.6 10.4 10.4 10.6 10.6 10.7 10.8 Portugal 11.0 12.9 15.9 15.6 16.1 17.0 17.7 17.0 17.3 17.6 17.7 17.7 17.8 Slovak Republic 14.5 13.6 14.0 13.9 14.0 14.3 14.5 14.4 14.4 14.5 14.6 14.5 14.5 Slovenia 7.3 8.2 8.9 8.5 9.4 9.4 9.8 9.3 9.4 9.6 9.7 10.0 10.2 Spain 20.1 21.6 25.1 24.7 25.5 26.1 26.6 26.2 26.2 26.4 26.6 26.7 26.8
Sweden 8.6 7.8 8.0 7.9 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.4 8.0 8.0 8.2 8.4 8.4
Switzerland 4.5 4.0 4.2 3.7 4.3 4.4
Turkey 10.7 8.8 8.2 8.0 8.1 8.3 8.3 8.4 8.4 8.3
United Kingdom 7.8 8.0 7.9 7.9 7.8 7.7 7.7 7.7 7.8 7.7 United States (2) 9.6 9.0 8.1 8.2 8.0 7.8 7.7 7.8 7.8 7.9 7.7 7.6 7.5
Notes:
Table 2: Unemployment Rates by Gender, s.a.
Percentage of corresponding active population
Women Men
2012 2012 2013 2013 2012 2012 2013 2013
Q4 Q1 Feb Mar Apr Q4 Q1 Feb Mar Apr
OECD - Total 8.1 8.1 8.2 8.2 8.1 8.1 7.9 7.9 8.0 7.9 7.9 8.0 Major Seven 7.3 7.2 7.3 7.3 7.2 7.1 7.5 7.4 7.4 7.4 7.3 7.4 European Union 10.5 10.8 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 10.4 10.6 10.9 10.9 10.9 11.0 Euro area 11.6 12.0 12.2 12.2 12.3 12.3 11.2 11.6 12.0 12.0 12.0 12.0
Australia 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.2 5.4 5.5 5.3 5.6 5.5
Austria 4.3 4.3 4.8 4.8 4.8 5.0 4.4 4.9 5.1 5.2 4.9 4.8
Belgium 7.4 7.5 7.4 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 8.5 8.8 8.8 8.9 9.0
Canada 6.8 6.7 6.8 6.8 7.0 6.7 7.7 7.7 7.4 7.2 7.5 7.6
Chile 7.9 7.8 7.4 7.4 7.6 5.4 5.7 5.6 5.6 5.7
Czech Republic 8.2 8.4 8.4 8.4 8.4 8.4 6.0 6.2 6.3 6.3 6.3 6.2
Denmark 7.5 7.4 7.4 7.4 7.2 7.1 7.5 7.3 6.9 6.9 6.8 6.9
Estonia 9.2 8.8 8.8 8.9 8.8 11.0 10.7 9.7 9.7 8.6
Finland 7.1 7.3 7.4 7.4 7.4 7.4 8.3 8.5 8.7 8.7 8.8 8.8
France 10.4 10.6 11.0 11.0 11.1 11.1 10.1 10.4 10.7 10.7 10.9 10.9
Germany 5.2 5.1 5.1 5.1 5.0 5.0 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7
Greece 28.1 29.8 31.0 21.4 23.3 24.1
Hungary 10.7 10.7 10.6 10.6 10.4 11.2 11.2 11.2 11.5 10.8
Iceland 5.7 5.2 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 6.4 6.0 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7
Ireland 11.0 10.9 11.1 11.0 11.2 11.0 17.7 17.0 15.9 15.9 15.7 15.6
Israel 7.0 6.8 6.5 6.6 6.4 6.7 6.8 6.9 6.7 6.8 6.7 7.0
Italy 11.9 12.5 13.1 13.0 13.1 13.2 9.9 10.5 11.1 11.1 11.0 11.2
Japan 4.0 4.0 3.7 3.9 3.5 3.8 4.6 4.4 4.6 4.6 4.5 4.3
Korea 3.0 2.7 3.0 3.1 3.0 2.9 3.4 3.2 3.5 3.7 3.3 3.2
Luxembourg 5.8 5.9 6.3 6.3 6.5 6.6 4.5 4.6 4.8 4.8 4.9 4.9
Mexico 5.0 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.1 5.0 4.9 4.9 4.9 4.7 4.8 5.3
Netherlands 5.2 5.4 5.8 5.7 6.0 6.0 5.3 5.8 6.6 6.6 6.8 6.9
New Zealand 7.3 7.6 6.9 6.5 6.2 5.5
Norway 2.8 3.2 3.4 3.3 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.7 3.9
Poland 10.9 11.2 11.5 11.5 11.6 11.6 9.4 9.7 9.9 9.9 10.0 10.1 Portugal 15.9 17.1 17.4 17.4 17.3 17.6 16.0 17.0 17.9 17.9 18.0 18.1 Slovak Republic 14.5 14.8 14.7 14.7 14.6 14.6 13.5 14.0 14.4 14.4 14.4 14.4 Slovenia 9.4 9.7 10.2 10.2 10.6 11.1 8.4 9.1 9.4 9.4 9.4 9.4 Spain 25.4 26.6 27.1 27.1 27.2 27.5 24.8 25.8 26.1 26.1 26.2 26.3
Sweden 7.7 7.9 8.0 7.9 8.3 7.9 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.5 8.8
Switzerland 4.5 4.7 3.9 4.1
Turkey 9.4 9.9 9.9 7.6 7.6 7.5
United Kingdom 7.4 7.2 7.2 8.3 8.1 8.1
United States 7.9 7.7 7.7 7.7 7.6 7.3 8.2 7.9 7.8 7.8 7.6 7.7
Table 3: Unemployment Rates by Age, s.a.
Percentage of corresponding active population
Youth (15-24) Prime and Older Workers (25+)
2012 2012 2013 2013 2012 2012 2013 2013
Q4 Q1 Feb Mar Apr Q4 Q1 Feb Mar Apr
OECD - Total 16.2 16.3 16.5 16.4 16.4 16.5 6.8 6.8 6.9 6.9 6.9 6.9 Major Seven 16.1 15.9 16.1 16.0 16.0 16.1 6.3 6.2 6.2 6.2 6.1 6.1 European Union 22.8 23.2 23.4 23.4 23.4 23.5 9.1 9.3 9.5 9.5 9.6 9.6 Euro area 23.1 23.7 24.2 24.2 24.3 24.4 10.1 10.6 10.8 10.8 10.9 10.9
Australia 11.7 12.0 11.9 11.9 12.1 11.7 3.9 4.0 4.1 4.0 4.2 4.3
Austria 8.7 8.7 8.7 8.8 7.9 8.0 3.6 3.9 4.3 4.4 4.4 4.4
Belgium 19.7 21.4 22.2 22.2 22.4 22.4 6.4 6.7 6.9 6.9 6.9 7.1 Canada 14.3 14.2 13.8 13.6 14.2 14.5 6.0 6.0 5.9 5.8 6.0 5.9 Chile 16.3 16.8 17.0 17.0 16.9 4.9 5.0 4.8 4.8 4.9 Czech Republic 19.5 19.5 19.4 19.4 19.8 20.0 6.0 6.3 6.3 6.3 6.3 6.2 Denmark 14.1 14.1 12.8 12.8 12.3 12.2 6.3 6.1 6.1 6.1 6.0 6.0 Estonia 20.9 19.0 20.5 21.3 19.4 8.9 8.8 8.1 8.0 7.6 Finland 18.9 19.4 19.9 19.9 19.9 19.9 6.1 6.3 6.4 6.4 6.5 6.5 France 24.3 25.4 26.2 26.2 26.5 26.5 8.7 8.9 9.2 9.2 9.3 9.4
Germany 8.1 7.9 7.6 7.6 7.5 7.5 5.2 5.1 5.1 5.1 5.1 5.1
Greece 55.3 58.0 62.5 22.2 24.0 24.7
Hungary 28.3 28.8 28.6 29.6 27.4 9.7 9.6 9.6 9.7 9.3 Iceland 13.7 11.8 11.7 11.6 11.8 12.0 4.5 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.2 Ireland 30.4 29.0 28.4 28.7 27.6 26.6 12.9 12.6 12.1 12.1 12.2 12.2 Israel 12.1 11.9 10.9 10.6 10.8 10.6 5.8 6.1 5.7 5.8 5.4 5.7 Italy 35.2 37.4 39.3 38.6 40.3 40.5 8.9 9.5 10.0 10.0 10.0
Japan 8.1 7.2 6.8 6.6 6.5 8.1 4.0 3.9 4.0 4.1 3.9 3.8
Korea 9.0 8.5 9.1 9.3 9.6 10.2 2.8 2.6 2.9 3.1 2.7 2.6
Luxembourg 18.2 17.7 18.3 18.3 18.7 18.2 4.2 4.3 4.5 4.5 4.6 4.7
Mexico 9.5 9.5 9.8 9.5 9.7 9.7 3.8 3.9 3.8 3.8 3.8 4.1
Netherlands 9.5 9.8 10.4 10.4 10.5 10.6 4.5 4.8 5.4 5.4 5.6 5.7
New Zealand 17.6 19.2 15.1 4.9 4.5 4.5
Norway 8.6 9.6 9.6 9.6 9.4 2.3 2.4 2.6 2.5 2.7
Poland 26.5 27.5 27.6 27.6 27.5 27.6 8.5 8.7 9.0 9.0 9.1 9.2 Portugal 37.7 38.7 40.7 40.8 41.2 42.5 14.0 15.2 15.8 15.8 15.8 15.8 Slovak Republic 34.0 34.8 34.4 34.5 34.1 33.6 12.2 12.6 12.8 12.8 12.8 12.8 Slovenia 20.5 23.3 24.4 24.4 24.4 7.9 8.3 8.7 8.7 8.8 8.9 Spain 53.2 55.2 55.9 55.9 56.0 56.4 22.7 23.7 24.1 24.1 24.3 24.4 Sweden 23.6 24.1 24.4 24.6 25.1 24.7 5.7 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.9 5.9
Switzerland 6.1 10.3 3.5 3.4
Turkey 15.7 16.5 16.7 6.7 6.8 6.7
United Kingdom 21.0 20.6 20.2 5.7 5.5 5.6
United States 16.2 16.0 16.4 16.3 16.2 16.1 6.8 6.5 6.4 6.4 6.2 6.1
Table 4: Unemployment Levels, s.a.
Thousands of persons
2011 2012 2012 2013 2013
Q3 Q4 Q1 Jan Feb Mar Apr
OECD - Total 47,282 47,824 47,881 48,212 48,625 48,928 48,687 48,285 48,458 Major Seven 28,098 27,299 27,185 27,051 27,181 27,478 27,224 26,841 26,828 European Union 23,144 25,251 25,463 25,932 26,428 26,366 26,435 26,484 26,588 Euro area 16,021 18,064 18,312 18,759 19,208 19,129 19,215 19,280 19,375
Australia 611 636 644 655 672 665 662 688 685
Austria 179 189 196 200 216 216 220 213 214
Belgium 347 369 376 392 401 399 400 404 411
Canada 1,393 1,368 1,379 1,373 1,343 1,323 1,333 1,375 1,362
Chile 574 524 508 532 520 534 520 532
Czech Republic 351 367 368 379 381 377 382 384 380
Denmark 221 219 215 213 206 211 208 200 201
Estonia 87 70 70 68 64 68 65 60
Finland 209 207 210 213 218 216 218 219 220
France 2,801 3,006 3,026 3,098 3,214 3,180 3,212 3,250 3,276 Germany 2,501 2,316 2,299 2,290 2,293 2,293 2,294 2,291 2,286
Greece 877 1,204 1,270 1,297 1,309 1,320
Hungary 470 476 468 477 478 485 485 463
Iceland 13 11 11 10 10 10 10 10 10
Ireland 317 316 317 304 293 295 292 291 287
Israel 180 247 247 249 241 238 245 239 252
Italy 2,103 2,746 2,762 2,914 3,064 3,069 3,061 3,061 3,083 Japan 3,018 2,848 2,803 2,750 2,767 2,790 2,840 2,670 2,710
Korea 855 820 794 764 837 808 891 813 792
Luxembourg 12 13 13 13 14 14 14 14 14
Mexico 2,540 2,496 2,448 2,530 2,517 2,593 2,477 2,482 2,625
Netherlands 389 468 473 504 553 535 550 573 580
New Zealand 155 165 174 161 146
Norway 87 86 83 93 98 98 96 100
Poland 1,659 1,749 1,763 1,797 1,841 1,831 1,842 1,849 1,862
Portugal 706 860 875 915 937 938 937 937 945
Slovak Republic 366 378 380 386 392 392 393 390 389
Slovenia 83 90 95 95 100 98 99 102 103
Spain 4,999 5,769 5,886 5,998 6,059 6,034 6,064 6,078 6,102
Sweden 389 402 407 414 417 406 417 429 428
Switzerland 184 193 200 203
Turkey 2,328 2,201 2,206 2,301 2,331 2,306
United Kingdom 2,534 2,511 2,480 2,460 2,491 2,452
United States 13,747 12,506 12,437 12,165 12,035 12,332 12,032 11,742 11,659
