OECD unemployment rate stable at 7.4% in May 2014
The OECD unemployment rate was stable at 7.4% in May 2014. Across the OECD area, 44.7 million persons were unemployed, 5.1 million less than the peak recorded in April 2010 but still 10.1 million more than in July 2008.
The unemployment rate was also stable in the Euro area, at 11.6%, 0.4 percentage point lower than one year ago. It fell by 0.3 percentage point in Portugal (to 14.3%), by 0.2 percentage point in the Netherlands (to 7.0%), and by 0.1 percentage point in Austria (to 4.7%). It increased by 0.1 percentage point in Luxembourg (to 6.3%), Ireland (to 12.0%) and Italy (to 12.6%).
The May unemployment rate also fell in Japan (by 0.1 percentage point to 3.5%) while it rose by 0.1 percentage point in Canada (to 7.0%) and Mexico (to 5.1%). Unemployment was stable in May in the United States (at 6.3%), although more recent data show that it decreased by 0.2 percentage point in June, to 6.1%.
The OECD May unemployment rate for women (at 7.5%) was 0.2 percentage point higher than for men (at 7.3%). The unemployment rate for youth rose by 0.2 percentage point to 15.0%, 2.3 percentage points below the peak recorded in October 2009 but 2.0 percentage points higher than in July 2008. Youth unemployment remains exceptionally high in several Euro area countries such as Greece (at 57.7% in March, the latest month available), Spain (at 54.0%), Italy (at 43.0%), Portugal (at 34.8%) and the Slovak Republic (at 32.4%).
OECD Harmonised Unemployment Rates, s.a.
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
4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
All persons Women Men Youth
(15-24) 25+
May-13 May-14
Table 1: OECD Unemployment Rates, s.a.
Percentage of active population
2011 2012 2013 2013 2014 2013 2014
Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
OECD - Total 7.9 7.9 7.9 8.0 7.9 7.7 7.5 7.6 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.4 7.4 Major Seven 7.6 7.4 7.1 7.2 7.1 6.9 6.7 6.7 6.7 6.7 6.7 6.5 6.5 European Union 9.6 10.5 10.8 10.9 10.8 10.7 10.5 10.6 10.6 10.5 10.4 10.4 10.3 Euro area 10.1 11.3 12.0 12.0 12.0 11.9 11.7 11.8 11.8 11.7 11.7 11.6 11.6
Australia 5.1 5.2 5.7 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.9 6.0 6.0 5.8 5.8 5.8
Austria 4.1 4.4 4.9 4.8 5.0 5.0 4.9 5.0 5.0 4.9 4.9 4.8 4.7
Belgium 7.2 7.6 8.5 8.4 8.5 8.5 8.4 8.4 8.4 8.4 8.4 8.5 8.5
Canada 7.5 7.2 7.1 7.1 7.1 7.0 7.0 7.2 7.0 7.0 6.9 6.9 7.0
Chile 7.1 6.4 5.9 5.9 5.5 6.1 6.4 6.5 6.4 6.4 6.1 6.1
Czech Republic 6.7 7.0 7.0 6.9 6.9 6.7 6.6 6.7 6.7 6.6 6.6 6.4 6.3
Denmark 7.6 7.5 7.0 6.9 7.0 6.9 6.8 7.1 7.0 6.9 6.5 6.5 6.5
Estonia 12.4 10.0 8.6 8.2 8.3 8.6 7.9 8.4 8.2 7.8 7.7 7.9
Finland 7.8 7.7 8.2 8.1 8.1 8.3 8.4 8.3 8.3 8.4 8.4 8.5 8.5
France 9.2 9.8 10.3 10.3 10.3 10.2 10.2 10.2 10.2 10.2 10.2 10.1 10.1
Germany 6.0 5.5 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.2 5.1 5.1
Greece 17.9 24.5 27.5 27.6 27.8 27.5 26.9 27.2 26.9 26.9 26.8 Hungary 11.0 10.9 10.2 10.4 10.1 9.2 8.0 8.7 8.2 7.9 7.9 7.9
Iceland 7.1 6.0 5.4 5.6 5.4 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.2 5.2 5.1
Ireland 14.7 14.7 13.1 13.7 12.8 12.2 12.1 12.0 12.1 12.1 12.0 11.9 12.0
Israel 5.6 6.9 6.2 6.7 6.0 5.8 5.8 5.9 5.9 5.8 5.8 5.7 5.9
Italy 8.4 10.7 12.2 12.1 12.3 12.5 12.7 12.5 12.7 12.7 12.6 12.5 12.6
Japan 4.6 4.4 4.0 4.0 4.0 3.9 3.6 3.7 3.7 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.5
Korea 3.4 3.2 3.1 3.1 3.1 3.0 3.5 3.1 3.2 3.9 3.5 3.7 3.7
Luxembourg 4.8 5.1 5.9 5.8 5.9 6.1 6.2 6.2 6.2 6.2 6.2 6.2 6.3
Mexico 5.2 5.0 4.9 5.1 4.9 4.8 4.9 4.8 4.8 4.7 5.1 5.0 5.1
Netherlands 4.5 5.3 6.7 6.6 7.0 7.0 7.2 7.0 7.1 7.3 7.2 7.2 7.0
New Zealand 6.5 6.9 6.2 6.4 6.1 6.0 6.0
Norway 3.3 3.2 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.4 3.7 3.5 3.5 3.3 3.3
Poland 9.7 10.1 10.3 10.5 10.2 10.0 9.9 10.0 10.0 9.9 9.8 9.7 9.6 Portugal 12.9 15.8 16.5 16.9 16.0 15.4 14.9 15.2 15.0 14.9 14.8 14.6 14.3 Slovak Republic 13.7 14.0 14.2 14.2 14.3 14.1 13.9 14.0 13.9 13.9 13.8 13.9 13.9 Slovenia 8.2 8.9 10.1 10.4 9.9 9.7 10.2 9.9 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.3 10.3 Spain 21.4 24.8 26.1 26.2 26.1 25.8 25.4 25.6 25.5 25.3 25.3 25.1 25.1
Sweden 7.8 8.0 8.0 8.0 7.9 8.0 8.1 8.0 8.2 8.1 8.0 8.1 7.8
Switzerland 4.0 4.2 4.4 4.2 4.7 4.1 4.8
Turkey 8.8 8.2 8.7 8.7 9.0 8.7 8.5 8.2
United Kingdom 8.0 7.9 7.5 7.7 7.5 7.1 6.7 7.1 6.8 6.7 6.6 United States (1) 9.0 8.1 7.4 7.5 7.2 7.0 6.7 6.7 6.6 6.7 6.7 6.3 6.3
Note:
(1) United States: Unemployment rate for June 2014 was 6.1 %
Table 2: Unemployment Rates by Gender, s.a.
Percentage of corresponding active population
Women Men
2013 2013 2014 2014 2013 2013 2014 2014
Q4 Q1 Mar Apr May Q4 Q1 Mar Apr May
OECD - Total 7.9 7.7 7.6 7.6 7.4 7.5 7.8 7.6 7.4 7.4 7.3 7.3 Major Seven 6.9 6.7 6.5 6.5 6.3 6.4 7.3 7.0 6.8 6.7 6.6 6.6 European Union 10.9 10.8 10.5 10.5 10.4 10.4 10.8 10.6 10.5 10.4 10.4 10.3 Euro area 12.0 12.0 11.8 11.8 11.7 11.7 11.9 11.8 11.7 11.7 11.6 11.5
Australia 5.6 5.7 6.2 6.1 5.9 6.0 5.7 5.9 5.8 5.6 5.7 5.7
Austria 4.9 5.2 5.0 4.8 4.7 4.8 5.0 4.8 4.9 4.9 4.8 4.6
Belgium 8.2 8.2 7.7 7.6 7.8 7.9 8.7 8.7 9.0 9.1 9.1 9.1
Canada 6.6 6.4 6.5 6.4 6.5 6.7 7.5 7.6 7.4 7.4 7.4 7.3
Chile 6.9 7.0 6.9 6.2 6.4 5.3 5.5 6.1 6.0 5.9
Czech Republic 8.3 8.1 8.1 8.0 7.7 7.7 5.9 5.7 5.5 5.5 5.4 5.3
Denmark 7.3 7.5 7.3 7.0 6.6 6.7 6.7 6.4 6.4 6.1 6.3 6.3
Estonia 8.1 8.1 7.3 6.9 7.2 9.0 9.1 8.5 8.5 8.5
Finland 7.5 7.7 7.8 7.8 7.8 7.8 8.8 8.9 8.9 9.0 9.1 9.2
France 10.2 10.1 9.9 9.8 9.7 9.6 10.3 10.3 10.5 10.5 10.5 10.5
Germany 5.0 4.9 4.8 4.8 4.7 4.7 5.7 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5 5.5
Greece 31.4 31.3 30.7 30.6 24.5 24.6 23.9 23.8
Hungary 10.2 9.4 8.3 8.1 8.1 10.2 9.0 7.7 7.6 7.8
Iceland 5.1 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.2 5.3 5.7 5.6 5.4 5.2 5.1 5.0
Ireland 10.7 10.3 10.0 9.9 10.0 10.0 15.0 13.7 13.7 13.7 13.5 13.5
Israel 6.3 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.9 6.1 6.2 5.7 5.8 5.7 5.5 5.6
Italy 13.1 13.5 13.6 13.5 13.4 13.8 11.5 11.9 12.0 11.9 11.9 11.7
Japan 3.7 3.6 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.4 4.3 4.1 3.8 3.7 3.8 3.7
Korea 2.9 2.9 3.5 3.4 3.8 3.9 3.3 3.2 3.6 3.6 3.7 3.6
Luxembourg 6.3 6.4 6.6 6.6 6.5 6.6 5.6 5.9 5.9 5.9 6.0 6.1
Mexico 5.0 4.9 5.1 5.3 4.8 5.2 4.9 4.7 4.8 5.0 5.1 5.0
Netherlands 6.3 6.6 6.9 7.1 7.0 6.8 7.1 7.3 7.5 7.4 7.3 7.1
New Zealand 6.9 6.9 6.4 5.6 5.3 5.6
Norway 3.3 3.4 3.3 3.2 3.2 3.7 3.6 3.5 3.4 3.4
Poland 11.1 10.8 10.5 10.4 10.2 10.1 9.7 9.5 9.4 9.3 9.2 9.2 Portugal 16.6 15.7 14.9 14.7 14.5 14.3 16.3 15.0 14.9 14.8 14.7 14.4 Slovak Republic 14.5 14.1 13.8 13.8 13.9 14.0 14.0 14.2 13.9 13.9 13.8 13.8 Slovenia 11.0 10.6 11.2 11.4 11.4 11.5 9.5 9.0 9.4 9.4 9.3 9.2 Spain 26.7 26.5 26.1 26.0 25.9 26.0 25.6 25.2 24.7 24.6 24.5 24.3
Sweden 7.8 7.8 7.9 7.8 8.2 7.5 8.2 8.1 8.3 8.3 8.0 8.0
Switzerland 4.5 4.3 4.9 4.3 3.9 4.7
Turkey 10.5 10.7 8.0 7.9
United Kingdom 7.0 6.6 6.4 6.3 8.0 7.4 7.0 6.8
United States 7.1 6.7 6.5 6.6 6.1 6.2 7.6 7.2 6.9 6.8 6.4 6.4
Table 3: Unemployment Rates by Age, s.a.
Percentage of corresponding active population
Youth (15-24) Prime-age and Older Workers (25+)
2013 2013 2014 2014 2013 2013 2014 2014
Q4 Q1 Mar Apr May Q4 Q1 Mar Apr May
OECD - Total 16.1 15.5 15.4 15.4 14.8 15.0 6.7 6.6 6.4 6.4 6.4 6.3 Major Seven 15.6 14.8 14.8 14.8 13.9 14.1 6.0 5.8 5.6 5.6 5.5 5.5 European Union 23.5 23.1 22.7 22.5 22.3 22.2 9.5 9.4 9.2 9.1 9.1 9.1 Euro area 24.0 23.8 23.7 23.6 23.4 23.3 10.7 10.7 10.6 10.5 10.5 10.5
Australia 12.2 12.6 12.6 12.6 13.0 13.1 4.3 4.4 4.6 4.5 4.4 4.4
Austria 9.2 9.8 9.9 9.5 9.2 8.9 4.3 4.3 4.2 4.2 4.1 4.1
Belgium 23.7 23.8 23.9 23.7 23.4 23.4 7.1 7.1 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.2 Canada 13.6 13.7 13.7 13.6 13.4 13.3 5.9 5.9 5.8 5.8 5.8 5.9 Chile 16.0 16.8 17.7 15.5 15.6 4.5 4.6 4.8 4.8 4.8 Czech Republic 18.9 18.9 16.9 16.3 16.4 16.5 6.1 5.9 5.9 5.9 5.7 5.6 Denmark 13.0 13.2 13.3 12.8 12.0 12.4 5.9 5.8 5.7 5.4 5.5 5.5 Estonia 18.0 19.5 17.9 17.6 20.1 7.6 7.6 7.0 6.8 6.7 Finland 19.7 19.8 20.0 20.0 19.8 19.7 6.5 6.7 6.7 6.8 6.9 7.0 France 24.8 23.7 23.7 23.3 22.7 22.5 8.7 8.8 8.8 8.8 8.8 8.8
Germany 7.9 7.9 7.9 7.9 7.8 7.8 5.0 4.9 4.8 4.8 4.8 4.8
Greece 58.4 57.1 57.1 57.7 25.4 25.5 24.8 24.7 Hungary 27.0 24.7 21.1 20.0 19.9 8.9 8.0 7.0 6.9 7.0 Iceland 10.8 10.2 9.9 9.7 9.4 9.2 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.3 4.3 Ireland 26.7 25.6 26.0 25.4 24.3 23.7 11.6 10.8 10.6 10.6 10.7 10.8
Israel 10.5 9.1 9.2 9.0 8.5 8.8 5.4 5.1 5.1 4.8 4.9 5.1
Italy 40.0 41.8 42.8 42.9 43.2 43.0 10.3 10.6 10.6 10.6
Japan 6.8 6.5 6.2 6.4 5.8 6.3 3.8 3.7 3.4 3.3 3.4 3.3
Korea 9.3 9.4 10.2 9.9 10.2 10.4 2.7 2.6 3.0 3.1 3.3 3.2
Luxembourg 17.0 15.0 15.1 14.9 14.9 15.2 5.1 5.5 5.6 5.6 5.6 5.7
Mexico 9.5 9.4 9.6 10.1 9.7 10.2 3.9 3.7 3.8 4.0 3.9 3.9
Netherlands 11.0 11.4 11.3 11.3 11.0 10.8 5.9 6.2 6.5 6.5 6.5 6.3
New Zealand 15.8 15.9 15.5 4.4 4.2 4.2
Norway 9.1 8.9 8.0 7.7 7.9 2.6 2.6 2.7 2.6 2.6
Poland 27.3 27.0 25.5 25.0 24.5 24.0 8.8 8.5 8.4 8.4 8.3 8.2 Portugal 38.1 35.0 36.1 36.5 35.9 34.8 14.7 13.8 13.2 13.0 12.8 12.6 Slovak Republic 33.7 33.4 32.1 32.0 32.2 32.4 12.5 12.5 12.3 12.3 12.3 12.3
Slovenia 21.7 20.4 22.7 22.7 9.2 9.0 9.3 9.4 9.4 9.4
Spain 55.5 54.8 54.1 53.8 53.7 54.0 23.8 23.5 23.1 23.1 23.0 22.9 Sweden 23.5 22.7 23.3 23.4 24.1 22.1 5.7 5.7 5.9 5.8 5.7 5.7
Switzerland 8.5 8.3 9.3 3.7 3.4 4.1
Turkey 17.0 17.1 7.2 7.2
United Kingdom 20.5 19.7 18.8 18.4 5.4 5.0 4.8 4.7
United States 15.5 14.2 14.4 14.5 12.8 13.2 6.1 5.8 5.5 5.5 5.3 5.2
Table 4: Unemployment Levels, s.a.
Thousands of persons
2012 2013 2013 2014 2014
Q3 Q4 Q1 Feb Mar Apr May
OECD - Total 47,672 47,671 47,556 46,508 45,676 45,705 45,674 44,755 44,744 Major Seven 27,152 26,267 26,094 25,393 24,695 24,742 24,692 23,917 23,971 European Union 25,382 26,388 26,392 26,023 25,591 25,588 25,424 25,247 25,184 Euro area 18,078 19,123 19,154 19,000 18,772 18,771 18,686 18,580 18,552
Australia 625 688 697 707 729 741 715 714 717
Austria 189 215 217 220 216 216 214 210 208
Belgium 369 417 420 418 417 415 417 420 422
Canada 1,368 1,348 1,353 1,347 1,334 1,343 1,325 1,329 1,344
Chile 524 491 458 510 539 539 512 512
Czech Republic 367 370 368 356 351 350 350 338 332
Denmark 219 203 203 200 196 199 188 186 187
Estonia 69 58 56 58 53 53 52 53
Finland 207 219 217 222 224 224 225 226 228
France 2,858 3,007 3,018 2,995 2,988 2,992 2,976 2,953 2,960 Germany 2,316 2,270 2,248 2,224 2,205 2,205 2,201 2,196 2,187
Greece 1,195 1,330 1,354 1,328 1,278 1,276 1,275
Hungary 476 446 443 405 358 354 352 355
Iceland 11 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Ireland 316 282 276 263 259 260 257 256 257
Israel 247 228 222 214 217 216 216 213 220
Italy 2,746 3,113 3,139 3,203 3,235 3,243 3,215 3,197 3,222 Japan 2,848 2,651 2,627 2,560 2,370 2,330 2,360 2,360 2,330
Korea 820 807 804 791 933 1,033 928 995 976
Luxembourg 13 15 15 16 16 16 16 16 16
Mexico 2,496 2,539 2,532 2,498 2,548 2,428 2,682 2,595 2,624
Netherlands 468 600 628 627 642 649 642 636 623
New Zealand 165 149 149 147 147
Norway 86 95 95 95 93 94 91 90
Poland 1,749 1,793 1,777 1,745 1,726 1,730 1,709 1,688 1,672
Portugal 836 855 835 799 767 767 759 750 736
Slovak Republic 378 386 388 382 376 376 376 376 377
Slovenia 90 102 100 97 103 103 104 104 104
Spain 5,811 6,051 6,042 5,947 5,798 5,782 5,763 5,721 5,698
Sweden 402 410 406 409 417 417 415 419 402
Switzerland 193 205 218 193 226
Turkey 2,201 2,438 2,531 2,459
United Kingdom 2,511 2,418 2,421 2,286 2,170 2,170 2,129 United States 12,506 11,460 11,289 10,777 10,394 10,459 10,486 9,753 9,799
