OECD unemployment rate drops slightly to 8.0% in March 2013
The OECD unemployment rate decreased to 8.0% in March 2013, compared with 8.1% in the previous month. However, this small decline masks diverging patterns across countries.
In the euro area, the unemployment rate hit a new record high - up 0.1 percentage point to 12.1% in March. The unemployment rate also rose by 0.2 percentage point in Canada (to 7.2%). By contrast, it fell by 0.1 percentage point in the United States (to 7.6%), by 0.2 percentage point in Japan (to 4.1%) and by 0.3 percentage point in Korea (to 3.2%). More recent data referring to the month of April show that the unemployment rate continued to fall in the United States (by 0.1 percentage points to 7.5%) while it was stable in Canada.
Trends in unemployment rates have differed across population groups since the beginning of the financial and economic crisis. In March, the OECD unemployment rate for men (down 0.1 percentage point to 7.9%) was 1.0 percentage point below the peak of 8.9% reached in October 2009. By contrast, the OECD unemployment rate for women (at 8.1%) was only 0.1 percentage point below its highest level of 8.2%
reached in December 2012, having hovered around 8.0% since July 2009. In March 2013, the unemployment rates for men and women were respectively 2.0 and 2.1 percentage points above their pre- crisis level.
The OECD unemployment rate for youth (unchanged at 16.5%) was 0.8 percentage point below the peak reached in September 2009, but remained 3.5 percentage points above its pre-crisis level and was more than twice as high as the rate for the working age population as a whole. In March 2013, more than one active youth in three was unemployed in Italy, Portugal and Slovak Republic, and more than one in two in Greece and Spain.
Overall, there were 48.3 million people unemployed in the OECD area in March 2013, 0.4 million less than in February but still 13.6 million more than in July 2008.
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
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+
Highest rate since Jul-08 Mar-13 Jul-08
Table 1: OECD Unemployment Rates, s.a.
Percentage of active population
2010 2011 2012 2012 2013 2012 2013
Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
OECD - Total 8.3 8.0 8.0 7.9 8.0 8.0 8.1 8.0 8.0 8.0 8.1 8.1 8.0 Major Seven 8.2 7.7 7.4 7.4 7.4 7.3 7.3 7.3 7.3 7.3 7.4 7.3 7.3 European Union 9.7 9.7 10.5 10.4 10.5 10.7 10.9 10.7 10.7 10.7 10.9 10.9 10.9 Euro area 10.1 10.1 11.4 11.3 11.5 11.8 12.0 11.7 11.8 11.8 12.0 12.0 12.1
Australia 5.2 5.1 5.2 5.1 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.4 5.3 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.6 Austria 4.4 4.1 4.4 4.3 4.5 4.6 4.8 4.5 4.5 4.7 4.8 4.8 4.7 Belgium 8.3 7.2 7.6 7.6 7.6 8.0 8.2 7.9 8.0 8.1 8.1 8.2 8.2 Canada (1) 8.0 7.5 7.2 7.3 7.3 7.2 7.1 7.4 7.2 7.1 7.0 7.0 7.2
Chile 8.2 7.1 6.4 6.3 6.2 6.5 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.4 6.5 6.3
Czech Republic 7.3 6.7 7.0 6.9 7.0 7.2 7.2 7.2 7.2 7.2 7.1 7.2 7.3 Denmark 7.5 7.6 7.5 7.9 7.4 7.3 7.3 7.3 7.3 7.4 7.4 7.4 7.2 Estonia 16.9 12.6 10.1 10.0 10.0 9.8 9.7 9.9 9.9 9.9 9.4 Finland 8.4 7.8 7.7 7.6 7.8 7.9 8.1 7.9 7.9 8.0 8.1 8.1 8.2 France 9.7 9.6 10.3 10.2 10.3 10.5 10.9 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.8 10.9 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 25.4 26.0 25.9 26.5 25.7 27.2 Hungary 11.2 11.0 10.9 11.0 10.7 11.0 10.9 10.9 11.1 11.2 11.2
Iceland 7.6 7.1 6.0 6.3 5.6 5.3 5.4 5.3 5.2 5.1 5.1
Ireland 13.9 14.7 14.7 14.9 14.7 14.3 14.1 14.5 14.3 14.1 14.1 14.1 14.1
Israel 6.6 5.6 6.9 7.0 6.8 6.8 6.5 7.0 6.7 6.8 6.5 6.6 6.5
Italy 8.4 8.4 10.7 10.6 10.7 11.2 11.6 11.2 11.2 11.2 11.7 11.5 11.5
Japan 5.1 4.6 4.4 4.4 4.3 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.2 4.3 4.2 4.3 4.1
Korea 3.7 3.4 3.2 3.3 3.1 3.0 3.3 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.2 3.5 3.2
Luxembourg 4.6 4.8 5.1 5.1 5.1 5.3 5.5 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.4 5.5 5.7
Mexico 5.4 5.2 5.0 5.0 4.8 5.0 5.0 4.9 5.2 5.0 5.2 4.9 5.0
Netherlands 4.5 4.5 5.3 5.1 5.3 5.6 6.2 5.5 5.6 5.8 6.0 6.2 6.4
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 3.3 3.5 3.6 3.6
Poland 9.7 9.7 10.1 10.0 10.2 10.4 10.6 10.3 10.4 10.4 10.6 10.6 10.7 Portugal 11.0 12.9 15.9 15.6 16.2 17.0 17.5 16.8 17.0 17.3 17.5 17.5 17.5 Slovak Republic 14.5 13.6 14.0 13.9 14.1 14.4 14.5 14.3 14.4 14.4 14.5 14.6 14.5 Slovenia 7.3 8.2 8.9 8.5 9.4 9.4 9.7 9.5 9.3 9.4 9.6 9.7 9.9 Spain 20.1 21.6 25.1 24.8 25.5 26.1 26.5 26.0 26.2 26.2 26.4 26.5 26.7
Sweden 8.6 7.8 8.0 7.9 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.0 8.4 8.0 8.0 8.2 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 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.4
United Kingdom 7.8 8.0 7.9 7.9 7.8 7.7 7.7 7.7 7.7 7.8 United States (2) 9.6 9.0 8.1 8.2 8.0 7.8 7.7 7.9 7.8 7.8 7.9 7.7 7.6
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 Jan Feb Mar Q4 Q1 Jan Feb Mar
OECD - Total 8.1 8.1 8.2 8.2 8.2 8.1 7.9 7.9 8.0 8.0 8.0 7.9 Major Seven 7.3 7.2 7.2 7.3 7.3 7.2 7.5 7.4 7.4 7.5 7.4 7.3 European Union 10.5 10.8 11.0 11.0 11.0 11.0 10.4 10.6 10.9 10.8 10.9 10.9 Euro area 11.6 11.9 12.2 12.2 12.2 12.2 11.2 11.6 11.9 11.9 11.9 11.9
Australia 5.3 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.4 5.5 5.2 5.4 5.5 5.5 5.4 5.6
Austria 4.3 4.2 4.7 4.7 4.8 4.7 4.4 4.8 4.9 5.0 4.9 4.7
Belgium 7.4 7.4 7.4 7.4 7.4 7.4 7.7 8.5 8.8 8.8 8.8 8.9
Canada 6.8 6.7 6.8 6.5 6.8 7.0 7.7 7.7 7.4 7.4 7.2 7.5
Chile 7.9 7.7 7.3 7.7 7.3 5.4 5.7 5.6 5.7 5.6
Czech Republic 8.2 8.4 8.4 8.3 8.4 8.5 6.0 6.2 6.3 6.2 6.3 6.3
Denmark 7.5 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.4 7.2 7.5 7.3 7.3 7.3 7.3 7.3
Estonia 9.2 8.8 8.8 9.0 11.0 10.7 11.0 9.9
Finland 7.1 7.3 7.5 7.4 7.5 7.6 8.3 8.5 8.7 8.6 8.7 8.7
France 10.4 10.6 11.0 10.9 11.0 11.1 10.1 10.4 10.8 10.6 10.8 10.9
Germany 5.2 5.1 5.0 5.1 5.0 5.0 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7 5.7
Greece 28.1 29.8 31.4 21.4 23.2 23.9
Hungary 10.7 10.7 10.8 10.7 11.2 11.2 11.5 11.6
Iceland 5.7 5.0 4.8 4.8 6.4 5.6 5.4 5.3
Ireland 11.0 10.9 10.8 10.8 10.7 10.8 17.7 17.1 16.8 16.7 16.8 16.8
Israel 7.0 6.8 6.4 6.5 6.5 6.3 6.8 6.9 6.6 6.5 6.7 6.6
Italy 11.9 12.4 12.7 12.8 12.6 12.7 9.9 10.4 10.7 10.8 10.7 10.7
Japan 4.0 4.0 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.5 4.6 4.4 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.5
Korea 3.0 2.7 3.0 2.8 3.1 3.0 3.4 3.2 3.5 3.4 3.7 3.3
Luxembourg 5.8 6.0 6.4 6.2 6.4 6.6 4.5 4.7 4.9 4.8 4.9 4.9
Mexico 5.0 5.2 5.2 5.3 5.2 5.2 4.9 4.9 4.9 5.1 4.7 4.8
Netherlands 5.2 5.4 5.8 5.6 5.7 6.0 5.3 5.8 6.6 6.4 6.6 6.8
New Zealand 7.3 7.6 6.9 6.5 6.2 5.5
Norway 2.8 3.1 3.3 3.6 3.8 3.9
Poland 10.9 11.2 11.4 11.4 11.4 11.4 9.5 9.7 10.0 9.9 10.0 10.1 Portugal 15.9 17.1 17.6 17.6 17.6 17.6 16.0 16.9 17.5 17.4 17.5 17.5 Slovak Republic 14.5 14.8 14.8 14.8 14.8 14.7 13.5 14.0 14.3 14.3 14.4 14.3 Slovenia 9.4 9.7 10.2 9.8 10.1 10.6 8.4 9.1 9.4 9.4 9.4 9.4 Spain 25.4 26.6 27.0 26.8 27.0 27.2 24.8 25.7 26.1 26.0 26.1 26.2
Sweden 7.7 7.9 8.0 7.7 7.9 8.3 8.2 8.4 8.4 8.3 8.5 8.4
Switzerland 4.5 4.7 3.9 4.1
Turkey 9.4 9.9 9.9 7.6 7.6 7.7
United Kingdom 7.4 7.3 7.4 8.3 8.1 8.2
United States 7.9 7.7 7.7 7.8 7.7 7.6 8.2 7.9 7.8 8.0 7.8 7.6
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 Jan Feb Mar Q4 Q1 Jan Feb Mar
OECD - Total 16.2 16.3 16.6 16.7 16.5 16.5 6.8 6.8 6.9 6.9 6.9 6.8 Major Seven 16.1 16.0 16.1 16.3 16.0 16.0 6.3 6.2 6.2 6.2 6.2 6.1 European Union 22.8 23.2 23.5 23.5 23.5 23.5 9.1 9.3 9.5 9.5 9.5 9.5 Euro area 23.1 23.7 24.0 24.1 24.0 24.0 10.1 10.5 10.8 10.7 10.8 10.8
Australia 11.7 12.0 12.0 11.9 11.9 12.2 3.9 4.0 4.1 4.1 4.0 4.2
Austria 8.7 8.7 8.4 9.3 8.4 7.6 3.6 3.9 4.2 4.2 4.3 4.2
Belgium 19.7 21.4 22.2 21.9 22.3 22.4 6.4 6.7 6.8 6.8 6.8 6.9 Canada 14.3 14.2 13.8 13.5 13.6 14.2 6.0 6.0 5.9 5.8 5.8 6.0 Chile 16.3 16.8 16.9 17.1 16.9 4.9 5.0 4.7 4.9 4.7 Czech Republic 19.5 19.4 19.2 18.9 19.2 19.5 6.0 6.3 6.3 6.2 6.3 6.4 Denmark 14.1 14.3 14.8 14.9 14.9 14.5 6.3 6.1 6.0 6.0 6.0 5.9
Estonia 20.9 19.3 21.3 21.9 8.9 8.8 8.7 8.0
Finland 18.9 19.3 19.8 19.7 19.8 19.8 6.1 6.3 6.5 6.4 6.5 6.5 France 24.3 25.4 26.3 26.0 26.3 26.5 8.7 8.9 9.2 9.1 9.2 9.3
Germany 8.1 8.0 7.6 7.7 7.6 7.6 5.2 5.1 5.1 5.1 5.1 5.1
Greece 55.3 57.8 59.1 22.2 23.9 25.0
Hungary 28.3 28.6 28.8 29.7 9.7 9.6 9.8 9.7
Iceland 13.7 11.2 9.9 9.7 4.5 4.1 4.1 4.1
Ireland 30.3 29.4 30.5 30.4 30.8 30.3 12.9 12.6 12.2 12.2 12.2 12.3 Israel 12.1 11.9 10.9 11.2 10.6 10.8 5.8 6.1 5.7 5.9 5.8 5.4
Italy 35.2 36.9 38.3 38.6 37.8 38.4 8.9 9.4
Japan 8.1 7.2 6.8 7.3 6.6 6.5 4.0 3.9 4.0 4.0 4.1 3.9
Korea 9.0 8.5 9.0 8.2 9.2 9.6 2.8 2.6 2.9 2.8 3.1 2.7
Luxembourg 18.2 18.5 19.3 18.8 19.3 19.7 4.2 4.4 4.6 4.5 4.6 4.6
Mexico 9.5 9.6 9.8 10.2 9.6 9.7 3.8 3.9 3.8 4.0 3.8 3.8
Netherlands 9.5 9.8 10.4 10.3 10.4 10.5 4.5 4.8 5.4 5.2 5.4 5.6
New Zealand 17.6 19.2 15.1 4.9 4.5 4.5
Norway 8.6 9.6 9.7 2.3 2.4 2.6
Poland 26.5 27.5 28.1 28.1 28.1 28.0 8.5 8.7 8.9 8.8 8.9 9.0 Portugal 37.7 38.3 38.2 38.3 38.1 38.3 14.0 15.2 15.8 15.8 15.9 15.8 Slovak Republic 34.0 35.0 34.7 34.8 34.8 34.5 12.2 12.5 12.8 12.8 12.8 12.7 Slovenia 20.5 23.3 24.4 24.4 24.4 24.4 7.9 8.3 8.7 8.6 8.6 8.8 Spain 53.2 55.2 55.8 55.7 55.9 55.9 22.7 23.7 24.1 24.0 24.1 24.3 Sweden 23.6 24.1 24.4 23.6 24.6 25.1 5.7 5.8 5.8 5.7 5.8 5.9
Switzerland 6.1 10.3 3.5 3.4
Turkey 15.7 16.4 16.9 6.7 6.8 6.8
United Kingdom 21.0 20.6 20.7 5.7 5.5 5.7
United States 16.2 16.0 16.4 16.8 16.3 16.2 6.8 6.5 6.4 6.5 6.4 6.2
Table 4: Unemployment Levels, s.a.
Thousands of persons
2011 2012 2012 2013 2012 2013
Q3 Q4 Q1 Dec Jan Feb Mar
OECD - Total 47,282 47,823 47,872 48,194 48,656 48,300 48,922 48,728 48,332 Major Seven 28,098 27,299 27,176 27,036 27,128 27,127 27,419 27,181 26,785 European Union 23,144 25,250 25,454 25,918 26,443 25,976 26,355 26,452 26,521 Euro area 16,021 18,064 18,304 18,731 19,153 18,768 19,099 19,149 19,211
Australia 611 636 643 653 670 661 663 661 687
Austria 179 189 196 200 211 206 213 212 207
Belgium 347 369 375 393 400 397 399 399 403
Canada 1,393 1,368 1,379 1,373 1,343 1,358 1,323 1,333 1,375
Chile 574 524 508 530 518 521 532 518
Czech Republic 351 367 368 379 381 378 377 382 384
Denmark 221 219 215 213 213 215 215 215 210
Estonia 87 70 70 68 68 69 66
Finland 209 207 210 213 218 214 216 218 219
France 2,801 3,006 3,025 3,100 3,218 3,126 3,183 3,216 3,254 Germany 2,501 2,316 2,299 2,292 2,293 2,293 2,294 2,294 2,291
Greece 877 1,204 1,272 1,291 1,253 1,349
Hungary 470 476 467 478 482 486 486
Iceland 13 11 10 9 9 9 9
Ireland 317 316 316 306 301 301 300 301 301
Israel 180 247 247 248 238 248 236 244 235
Italy 2,103 2,746 2,752 2,889 2,969 2,888 2,994 2,963 2,950 Japan 3,018 2,848 2,803 2,750 2,767 2,780 2,790 2,840 2,670
Korea 855 820 794 764 837 757 808 891 813
Luxembourg 12 13 13 13 14 14 14 14 14
Mexico 2,540 2,496 2,448 2,532 2,524 2,490 2,596 2,486 2,489
Netherlands 389 468 473 504 553 520 535 550 573
New Zealand 155 165 174 161 146
Norway 87 86 83 93 96 97
Poland 1,659 1,749 1,764 1,799 1,859 1,814 1,844 1,861 1,871
Portugal 706 860 877 915 939 928 938 939 939
Slovak Republic 366 378 381 386 391 389 392 393 389
Slovenia 83 90 95 95 100 96 98 99 102
Spain 4,999 5,769 5,884 5,996 6,058 6,003 6,032 6,063 6,080
Sweden 389 402 407 414 417 409 406 417 428
Switzerland 184 193 200 203
Turkey 2,328 2,201 2,205 2,301 2,339 2,332
United Kingdom 2,534 2,511 2,481 2,466 2,476 2,503
United States 13,747 12,506 12,437 12,165 12,035 12,206 12,332 12,032 11,742
