The number of unemployed in Estonia has become the highest over the past 12 years
According to the Department of Statistics, in the first quarter of 2025, the unemployment rate was 8.6%, the level of employment was 67.4%and the level of participation in labor – 73.7%, BNS writes.
The analyst of the Department of Statistics of the Thera Vassilieva explained that in the first quarter of 2025 there were 64,200 unemployed, which is the highest indicator over the past 12 years. “The number of unemployed has increased by 5300 people compared to the same period last year. The unemployment rate increased by 8.6%, which is 0.8 percentage points more than a year earlier, and 1.2 percentage points more than in the last quarter of last year, ”the analyst said.
Vassileva added that the unemployment rate among men was 9%, among women – 8.2%. “Among the regions, the unemployment rate fell only in Ida-Virumaa, where it amounted to 12.7%. Despite the decrease, the unemployment rate there is still the highest in Estonia, ”she said.
The number of people who are the unemployed year or more has increased most. In the first quarter, their number was 16,000, i.e. 3200 people are more than in the same period last year. “The number of people who have been the unemployed less than six months amounted to 38,100 people, which is 1700 more than a year earlier, and 4,800 more than in the last quarter of last year,” the analyst explained.
In the first quarter of this year, the number of employees was 681,600 people. Throughout Estonia, the number of employees in the year has decreased by 11,700 people – most in South Estonia (in Yyshevsk, Polvasky, Tartusk, Valgasky, Viliandysk and Vyruk counties) and West Estonia (Khiyu, Lyaescom, Parknuska and Saarest counties), but also in Tallinn. Level of employment, i.e. The share of those employed from the entire population aged 15–74 years amounted to 67.4% and decreased throughout Estonia compared to the first quarter of 2024 per percentage point.
“Differences in the regions were significant: the level of employment grew in Karyumaa outside Tallinn and Central Estonia (Yarvasky, Lyaen-Viruska and Rapaplak counties), however, most (by 3.3 percentage points)-in Ida-Viru district, where the share of employed is usually much less than in other regions of Estonia. According to the first quarter of this year, the decrease was observed in West Estonia, where the level of employment decreased by 3.4 percentage points. The level of employment also decreased in South Estonia and Tallinn.
The number of employed women decreased by 6900 people, the number of employed men is 4800. Among the sectors of the economy, the number of employees decreased in industry and construction, as well as rural, forest and fish farming. At the same time, the number of employees increased in the service sector, where in general 73.8% of all employed worked, i.e. About three quarters.
The analyst explained that the total reduction in the number of employees basically occurred at the expense of entrepreneurs: compared to the first quarter of last year, hired employees became 1000 people less, while the number of individual entrepreneurs decreased by 2100 people and the number of entrepreneurs with employees by 7400 people.
“In the first quarter, the number of economically inactive people who do not relate to labor force increased by 4,300 people compared to the same period last year. Most inactive people were added in Tallinn and South Estonia, while their number was reduced in the Ida-Viru district, ”Vassilieva explained. The level of participation in labor throughout Estonia amounted to 73.7%, which compared to the first quarter of last year by 0.5 percentage points less.
Since the population compared to 2024 decreased, the total number of people of working age was also reduced by 1900 people, i.e. population aged 15–74 years. “However, this did not happen evenly. The greatest reduction in the number of people of working age in comparison with the first quarter of 2024 was observed in South Estonia (-4400 people) and northeastern Estonia (i.e. in Ida-Virumaa, only -1900 people), ”she said.
The number of people of working age increased in Central Estonia (+2400 people) and Tallinn (+2000 people). Among the age groups of 4300 people, the number of people aged 15–24 years and 1300 people aged 65–74 years increased, while the number of 25–64-year-olds decreased by 7,600 people.
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