During the second quarter of 2016, Labour Force Survey estimates indicate an increase of 3.5 per cent in employment when compared to the corresponding quarter of 2015.
Labour status
Private household estimates from the Labour Force Survey indicate that during the second quarter, total employment stood at 191,384 accounting for more than half the population aged 15 and over. Unemployed persons stood at 9,822 (2.7 per cent) while inactive persons totalled 163,750 (44.9 per cent). The activity rate was estimated at 69.1 per cent with the highest rate recorded among persons aged 25-54 (82.7 per cent).
Results show that, on average, full-timers work 41.6 hours while part-timers work 22.4 hours per week.
The average annual basic salary of employees for the second quarter of 2016 was estimated at €17,109. The highest basic salary was recorded in the information and communication sector. Average annual salaries varied from €28,858 among managers to €11,864 among persons employed in elementary occupations.
The unemployed and inactive population
The unemployment rate for the second quarter of 2016, stood at 4.9 per cent. The largest share of unemployed persons was recorded among persons aged 25 years and over. Among the unemployed, 42.1 per cent stated that they had been seeking work for at least 12 months. The number of inactive persons stood at 163,750, with 41.5 per cent attributing their inactivity to retirement or the uptake of early retirement.
Education attainment
According to the Labour Force Survey, 58.2 per cent of the 15 plus population had attained a low level of education. This comprises persons with less than 5 ordinary level or equivalent qualifications. Among the employed population 24.6 per cent had a tertiary level education.
The employed population
On average, out of every 100 persons aged between 15 to 64 years, 66 were employed. The male employment rate for this age bracket was 78.3 per cent while that for females stood at 52.5 per cent.
Self-employed persons accounted for 13.5 per cent of all persons with a main job. Among all the employed, the majority worked on a full-time basis totalling 162,641, while 28,743 had a part-time job as their primary employment.