OECD employment rate at 65.1% in first quarter of 2013,
1.4 percentage points below its pre-crisis level but higher than one year ago
The OECD area employment rate – defined as the share of people of working-age who are employed – was 65.1% in the first quarter of 2013, unchanged from the previous quarter, and 0.2 percentage point higher than one year ago. This was still 1.4 percentage points below the level recorded in the second quarter of 2008, the quarter preceding the start of the global financial crisis.
In the first quarter of 2013, the employment rate was stable in the United States (67.3%), Canada (72.5%) and Germany (73.1%) while it rose in Japan (by 0.3 percentage point to 71.2%). The employment rate fell in Italy (by 0.4 percentage point to 56.1%) for the 4th straight quarter and in the United Kingdom (by 0.2 percentage point to 70.4%).
Among other European Union countries the employment rate fell most in Slovenia (by 0.8 percentage point), Greece (by 0.7 percentage point), for the 14th straight quarter, Luxembourg (by 0.5 percentage point) and Portugal (by 0.4 percentage point), for the 9th straight quarter. The employment rate also continued to fall in Spain but at the slowest rate of decline since the second quarter of 2011.
In the first quarter of 2013, the employment rate was above its pre-crisis level in 10 of the OECD countries, including Chile, Germany, Japan, Korea and Turkey. By contrast, it was more than 3.0 percentage points below its pre-crisis level in 8 of the countries, including Spain and the United States.
The employment rate for men in the first quarter of 2013 was higher than its pre-crisis level in only 6 OECD countries. For the OECD as a whole the employment rate for men (at 73.0%) was 2.7 percentage points below its pre- crisis level. Employment rates for women have been quicker to recover. Female employment rates were higher in 15 OECD countries in the first quarter of 2013 than they were prior to the crisis and, for the OECD as a whole, the employment rate for women (at 57.2%) was only 0.4 percentage point below its pre-crisis level.
Methodological Notes: http://www.oecd.org/std/labourstatistics/50273955.pdf All rates and levels quoted are seasonally adjusted (s.a.).
New Quarterly Labour Market Statistics: http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=STLABOUR
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.
63 65 67 69 71 73
Q2-2008 Q3-2008 Q4-2008 Q1-2009 Q2-2009 Q3-2009 Q4-2009 Q1-2010 Q2-2010 Q3-2010 Q4-2010 Q1-2011 Q2-2011 Q3-2011 Q4-2011 Q1-2012 Q2-2012 Q3-2012 Q4-2012 Q1-2013
Employment rates
Employment as a percentage of the working- age population
OECD Euro area Japan*
United States Canada
* Note: statistical breaks in Q1-2011 and Q3-2011
-4.0 -3.0 -2.0 -1.0 0.0 1.0 2.0
All persons
Men Women Youth Prime-age workers
Older workers
Change in OECD employment rates Percentage points
Q2-2008 to Q1-2013 Q4-2012 to Q1-2013
Next release: 15 October 2013
Table 1: OECD Employment Rates and Levels (15-64), s.a.
Employment as a percentage of corresponding working age population and levels
Employment rates Levels
2009 2010 2011 2012 2008 2011 2012 2013 Thousands
Q2 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q1 - 2013
OECD - Total 64.7 64.5 64.8 65.0 66.5 64.9 64.9 65.0 65.0 65.1 65.1 530,508 Major Seven 67.7 67.3 67.5 67.7 69.6 67.5 67.5 67.7 67.8 67.9 67.9 325,445 European Union 64.5 64.1 64.3 64.2 65.9 64.2 64.2 64.2 64.2 64.2
Euro area 64.5 64.1 64.3 63.8 65.9 64.1 63.9 63.8 63.8 63.6
Australia 72.0 72.4 72.7 72.3 73.3 72.4 72.4 72.5 72.3 72.3 72.3 11,225 Austria 71.6 71.7 72.1 72.5 72.3 72.2 72.5 72.5 72.6 72.4 72.2 4,096 Belgium 61.6 62.0 61.9 61.8 62.2 62.0 61.8 61.8 62.1 61.7 61.6 4,463 Canada 71.5 71.5 72.0 72.2 73.7 71.9 72.0 72.2 72.2 72.5 72.5 17,062 Chile 56.1 59.3 61.3 61.8 57.2 61.4 61.7 61.8 61.9 61.8 62.2 7,232 Czech Republic 65.4 65.0 65.7 66.6 66.7 66.0 66.1 66.4 66.8 66.9 67.3 4,836 Denmark 75.4 73.4 73.2 72.6 78.1 72.9 73.0 72.7 72.2 72.5 72.7 2,624 Estonia 63.6 61.0 65.1 67.1 69.9 65.8 66.5 67.4 67.8 66.9 67.9 608 Finland 68.7 68.2 69.0 69.4 71.2 69.4 69.4 69.3 69.5 69.2 69.0 2,413 France 64.0 63.9 63.9 63.9 64.8 63.9 63.8 63.9 63.9 64.1
Germany 70.3 71.1 72.5 72.8 69.8 73.1 72.6 72.8 73.0 73.1 73.1 39,419 Greece 61.3 59.6 55.6 51.3 62.0 53.7 52.8 51.4 50.5 50.4 49.7 3,568 Hungary 55.4 55.4 55.8 57.2 56.5 56.2 56.5 57.1 57.7 57.5 57.4 3,846 Iceland 78.3 78.2 78.5 79.7 84.4 78.7 78.5 80.2 80.2 80.0 79.8 163 Ireland 61.9 59.7 58.9 58.9 68.3 59.0 58.6 58.7 58.9 59.2 59.4 1,802 Israel 59.2 60.2 60.9 66.5 59.9 61.6 66.0 66.1 67.1 66.8 66.9 3,276 Italy 57.5 56.9 57.0 56.8 58.8 56.8 57.0 56.8 56.7 56.5 56.1 22,142 Japan 70.5 70.6 71.1 70.6 70.9 70.6 70.3 70.5 70.7 70.9 71.2 56,697 Korea 62.9 63.3 63.8 64.2 63.9 64.1 64.3 64.2 64.3 64.2 64.1 22,990 Luxembourg 65.2 65.2 64.6 65.9 64.0 64.0 64.8 65.9 66.3 66.2 65.7 237 Mexico 59.8 59.7 60.0 60.9 61.2 60.9 60.5 61.2 61.2 60.5 60.4 45,700 Netherlands 77.0 74.7 74.9 75.1 77.1 75.3 75.3 75.1 75.1 74.9 74.8 8,220 New Zealand 72.9 72.3 72.6 72.2 74.9 72.7 72.8 72.4 72.1 71.3 72.7 2,117 Norway 76.4 75.3 75.3 75.8 78.1 75.5 75.8 75.9 75.7 75.5 75.5 2,511 Poland 59.4 59.3 59.7 59.7 59.0 59.8 59.5 59.7 59.7 59.7 59.5 15,247 Portugal 66.3 65.6 64.2 61.8 68.5 63.0 62.6 62.2 61.9 60.5 60.1 4,198 Slovak Republic 60.2 58.8 59.3 59.7 61.9 59.3 59.8 59.8 59.8 59.4 60.0 2,330 Slovenia 67.5 66.2 64.4 64.1 68.2 64.3 64.9 63.8 63.6 64.1 63.3 888 Spain 59.8 58.6 57.7 55.4 64.9 56.8 56.3 55.7 55.1 54.6 54.4 16,638 Sweden 72.2 72.2 73.6 73.8 74.4 73.8 73.6 73.8 73.8 73.9 74.1 4,537 Switzerland 79.0 78.6 79.4 79.4 79.5 79.8 79.0 79.3 79.8 79.6 79.4 4,285 Turkey 44.2 46.3 48.4 48.9 45.2 48.6 48.4 48.8 48.6 49.8 50.1 25,014 United Kingdom 69.9 69.5 69.5 70.1 71.8 69.4 69.6 70.0 70.3 70.6 70.4 28,641 United States 67.6 66.7 66.6 67.1 71.2 66.8 67.0 67.1 67.1 67.3 67.3 135,867
Table 2: OECD Employment Rates (15-64) by Gender, s.a.
Employment as a percentage of corresponding working age population
Women Men
2012 2008 2012 2013 2012 2008 2012 2013
Q2 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1
OECD - Total 57.0 57.6 57.0 57.1 57.2 57.2 73.1 75.7 73.1 73.1 73.1 73.0 Major Seven 61.7 62.8 61.7 61.8 62.0 62.1 73.8 76.5 73.7 73.8 74.0 73.9 European Union 58.6 58.8 58.6 58.7 58.7 69.8 72.9 69.8 69.7 69.6 Euro area 58.1 58.4 58.1 58.2 58.1 69.5 73.4 69.5 69.4 69.1
Australia 66.6 66.9 66.6 66.6 66.5 66.7 78.1 79.8 78.3 78.0 78.0 78.0 Austria 67.3 65.8 67.3 67.3 67.4 67.1 77.8 78.7 77.8 77.8 77.5 77.3 Belgium 56.8 55.8 56.3 57.2 57.4 56.7 66.9 68.5 67.3 66.9 66.0 66.3 Canada 69.2 70.1 69.2 69.2 69.6 69.7 75.2 77.4 75.3 75.1 75.4 75.4 Chile 50.2 41.9 50.2 50.5 50.2 50.8 73.6 72.5 73.6 73.5 73.6 73.6 Czech Republic 58.3 57.8 58.1 58.5 58.7 59.1 74.6 75.4 74.6 74.9 74.8 75.3 Denmark 70.0 74.0 70.3 69.6 69.5 69.7 75.2 82.1 75.0 74.6 75.4 75.7 Estonia 64.7 65.9 65.6 64.9 63.8 65.3 69.7 74.2 69.4 70.8 70.2 70.7 Finland 68.2 69.0 68.1 68.6 67.9 68.1 70.6 73.4 70.5 70.4 70.5 69.8 France 60.0 60.2 59.9 59.9 60.2 68.0 69.6 67.9 68.0 68.1 Germany 67.9 64.0 67.9 68.1 68.4 68.5 77.6 75.6 77.6 77.7 77.7 77.5 Greece 41.9 48.8 42.0 41.2 41.3 40.6 60.7 75.3 60.6 59.6 59.6 58.9 Hungary 52.1 50.2 52.2 52.7 52.3 52.3 62.5 63.1 62.3 62.9 63.0 62.7 Iceland 77.9 79.8 78.4 78.1 78.9 77.6 81.5 88.7 81.9 82.3 81.0 82.0 Ireland 55.1 60.7 55.0 55.2 55.2 55.2 62.7 75.8 62.4 62.8 63.3 63.8 Israel 62.4 55.6 61.7 63.4 62.8 62.7 70.7 64.3 70.6 70.8 70.8 71.2 Italy 47.1 47.2 47.2 47.1 47.0 46.8 66.5 70.5 66.6 66.4 66.1 65.4 Japan 60.7 60.0 60.6 60.8 61.1 62.0 80.3 81.8 80.2 80.4 80.6 80.4 Korea 53.5 53.3 53.5 53.5 53.5 53.5 74.9 74.5 74.9 75.0 74.8 74.6 Luxembourg 59.0 55.2 58.9 59.8 59.6 59.5 72.5 72.4 72.9 72.7 72.6 71.8 Mexico 44.8 44.0 45.2 45.2 44.5 44.3 78.5 80.5 78.7 78.8 78.1 78.1 Netherlands 70.4 70.9 70.2 70.5 70.5 70.3 79.8 83.3 79.9 79.6 79.2 79.1 New Zealand 67.0 68.9 67.3 67.2 66.0 67.9 77.5 81.3 77.7 77.1 76.9 77.6 Norway 73.8 75.4 74.0 73.8 73.5 73.4 77.7 80.7 77.7 77.6 77.4 77.4 Poland 53.1 52.2 53.1 53.1 53.1 52.8 66.3 66.1 66.4 66.3 66.4 66.2 Portugal 58.7 62.8 59.0 59.0 57.6 57.3 64.9 74.3 65.5 64.9 63.5 63.0 Slovak Republic 52.7 54.3 53.0 52.8 52.3 53.2 66.7 69.6 66.6 66.8 66.5 66.9 Slovenia 60.5 63.3 60.1 59.9 60.1 59.3 67.4 72.7 67.2 67.1 67.8 67.0 Spain 50.6 55.2 50.8 50.4 50.0 49.8 60.2 74.3 60.4 59.7 59.3 59.0 Sweden 71.8 71.9 71.9 71.9 71.8 72.1 75.6 76.9 75.6 75.6 75.8 76.1 Switzerland 73.6 73.5 73.4 73.9 73.8 74.2 85.2 85.4 85.1 85.7 85.4 84.5 Turkey 28.7 23.5 28.6 28.5 29.6 30.1 69.2 67.2 69.1 68.9 69.9 70.1 United Kingdom 65.1 66.0 64.8 65.1 65.8 65.7 75.2 77.6 75.2 75.5 75.5 75.2 United States 62.2 65.7 62.2 62.2 62.3 62.1 72.3 76.9 72.1 72.2 72.5 72.6
Table 3: OECD Employment Rates by Age, s.a.
Employment as a percentage of corresponding working age population
Youth (15-24) Prime-age workers (25-54) Older workers (55-64)
2008 2012 2013 2008 2012 2013 2008 2012 2013
Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1
OECD - Total 42.8 39.2 39.2 39.1 77.2 75.6 75.6 75.5 54.1 55.6 55.9 56.1 Major Seven 46.5 42.0 42.2 42.1 79.8 78.0 78.1 78.0 57.3 58.6 59.0 59.2 European Union 37.6 32.8 32.7 79.5 77.2 77.0 45.6 49.2 49.5 Euro area 37.7 32.0 31.6 79.4 76.4 76.1 44.2 48.9 49.2
Australia 65.0 59.4 59.4 59.1 80.3 79.5 79.3 79.5 57.3 61.4 61.6 61.6 Austria 56.0 54.6 54.8 53.9 84.7 85.4 85.1 84.9 40.9 43.6 43.7 43.4 Belgium 27.2 24.9 25.3 23.4 80.5 79.6 79.3 78.9 32.9 40.0 38.9 40.6 Canada 59.7 54.2 54.5 55.1 82.4 81.5 81.8 81.5 57.9 59.8 59.9 60.7 Chile 27.5 31.1 30.6 30.8 70.1 74.7 74.5 74.9 55.6 63.0 63.6 63.1 Czech Republic 28.2 25.1 25.2 25.8 83.9 83.1 83.0 83.2 47.7 50.3 50.4 50.5 Denmark 67.4 54.9 54.8 54.5 87.3 81.7 81.6 82.0 58.8 60.4 61.0 60.8 Estonia 34.8 32.9 33.5 32.0 84.4 79.8 79.4 80.0 62.2 61.3 60.3 61.8 Finland 45.3 41.7 42.3 41.7 84.5 82.1 81.5 81.3 56.6 58.4 58.3 58.1 France 31.1 28.6 28.5 83.1 80.8 80.8 38.0 44.7 45.8 Germany 46.6 46.7 46.7 47.1 80.5 83.2 83.3 83.3 53.4 62.1 62.1 62.5 Greece 23.9 12.5 12.3 11.6 76.3 63.1 62.9 62.2 42.9 36.1 36.2 35.5 Hungary 20.0 18.5 19.7 18.9 74.3 75.1 74.8 74.3 31.0 37.6 37.1 37.5 Iceland 72.5 66.1 67.5 68.2 88.0 85.0 84.3 83.5 83.8 80.3 78.7 80.0 Ireland 47.2 28.2 28.3 28.4 77.9 69.5 69.9 70.2 53.7 48.9 50.0 50.3
Israel 74.2 77.4 76.7 77.0 58.8 62.3 63.5 65.2
Italy 24.6 18.5 17.9 16.6 73.5 70.1 70.0 69.5 34.6 40.8 41.0 41.3 Japan 41.9 39.1 38.8 39.5 80.1 80.4 80.7 80.9 66.6 65.5 65.8 66.4 Korea 24.4 24.3 24.3 23.8 74.3 74.9 74.6 74.6 60.6 62.9 63.3 63.4 Luxembourg 25.1 21.9 22.4 21.3 80.0 83.3 83.9 83.0 35.8 41.1 41.3 40.8 Mexico 44.5 43.3 42.1 41.7 70.4 70.8 70.3 70.4 54.5 55.2 54.3 54.5 Netherlands 69.2 63.2 63.2 62.9 86.8 83.8 83.2 82.9 52.7 58.9 59.2 59.4 New Zealand 56.8 49.8 46.9 49.6 82.1 79.6 79.6 80.7 71.9 73.8 72.8 73.8 Norway 58.1 52.2 52.0 52.5 86.8 84.6 84.2 84.0 69.1 71.0 71.1 70.4 Poland 27.1 24.3 24.6 24.1 77.1 77.2 77.0 76.5 31.9 38.7 39.5 39.9 Portugal 35.3 23.9 22.4 21.1 81.9 75.4 74.2 73.4 51.2 46.9 45.5 45.4 Slovak Republic 26.2 20.5 19.8 20.8 79.7 76.6 75.5 76.1 38.5 42.9 44.2 44.3 Slovenia 38.0 26.0 26.6 26.8 86.4 83.3 83.2 81.9 33.3 32.8 34.3 32.5 Spain 36.7 17.8 17.1 16.7 76.0 65.8 65.5 65.3 45.8 44.1 43.6 42.9 Sweden 42.3 40.1 40.2 40.6 86.5 85.2 85.2 85.5 70.4 73.1 73.4 73.1 Switzerland 62.4 62.6 61.4 62.4 87.2 86.8 86.9 86.1 68.4 71.2 70.9 71.4 Turkey 30.7 31.2 31.8 32.5 53.6 58.2 59.2 59.6 27.8 31.7 32.8 32.1 United Kingdom 52.8 47.1 47.4 46.9 81.6 80.6 80.8 80.7 58.2 58.2 58.7 58.7 United States 51.9 45.7 46.2 46.0 79.5 75.8 75.9 75.8 62.1 60.6 61.2 61.2
