16 May 2019

2019- n° 127

The unemployment rate decreased by 0,1 points in Q1 2019 ILO Unemployment and Labour Market-related indicators (Labour Force Survey results) - first quarter 2019

On average in Q1 2019, the average ILO unemployment rate decreased by 0,1 points after a 0.3 points fall in the last quarter. It stood at 8.7% of the labour force in metropolitan France and the overseas departments (excluding Mayotte), 0.5 points below its early 2018 level and its lowest level since 2009.

In metropolitan France, the number of unemployed decreased by 19,000 over a quarter to 2.4 million people; the unemployment rate declined by 0.1 points, at 8.4 % of the labour force. The unemployment rate increased among young men (+2.1 points) whereas it decreased among young women (–1.4 points). It diminished for persons aged 25 to 49 (–0.2 points) and rose for those aged 50 and over.

Over a year, the unemployment rate in metropolitan France decreased by 0.5 points, but fell markedly among youth (–1.7 points), in particular among young women (–3.9 points).

Among the unemployed, 963 thousands declared that they had been seeking a job for at least one year. The long-term unemployment rate stood at 3.3% of the labour force in Q1 2019. This rate was virtually stable over a quarter and decreased by 0.3 points over a year.

In metropolitan France, among inactive people as defined by the ILO, 1.4 million persons wished to work without being considered as unemployed according to the ILO definition: they made up the halo of unemployment. Their number diminished by 80,000 over a quarter and fell similarly over a year (–89 000).

The employment rate of the population aged 15-64 years was stable in Q1 2019. It stood at 66.1%, its highest level since the early 1980s, and 0.3 percentage points above its early 2018 level. Over the quarter, the employment rate among persons aged 25 to 49 was slightly up (+0.2 points), that among persons aged 50 to 64 remained virtually stable. At the opposite, the employment rate among youth sharply decreased (–0,4 points).

Full-time employment rate stood at 54.5% in Q1 2019. It was virtually stable (+0.1 points) over a quarter and advanced by 0.6 points over a year, reaching its highest level since 2003 (beginning of the quarterly series). Part-time employment rate was stable at 11.7%.

In Q1 2019, 5.3% of the employed persons were underemployed. It mainly concerns people having a part-time job and wishing to work more. This share decreased by 0.4 points over a quarter and 0,8 points over a year.

The activity rate of people aged 15-64 was stable over a quarter and over a year, at 72.3%. Quarter-on-quarter, it decreased among youths (–0,3 points), was stable for middle-age people and increased among persons aged 50 to 64 (+0.3 points), in particular among men (+0,8 points). It was stable among persons aged 55 to 64 (+0,1 points) over a quarter and sharply increased year-on-year (+0.7 points).

Compared to the provisional estimate published on 14 February 2019, ILO unemployment rate in Q4 2018 stays unchanged. For Q2 2018, it has been upgraded by 0.1 points in metropolitan France (from 8.7% to 8.8%), due to seasonal adjustment coefficients recalculation.