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Summary Results

LFS estimates were updated on 22nd Feb 2024 to incorporate updated population estimates for the period 2016 Q3 to 2023 Q3, based on the results of Census 2022. LFS results are updated in this way following each Census of Population. For further information see Background Notes.
The data in this publication does not reflect these updates. Please refer to the relevant tables on LFS Px-stat for updated LFS estimates.

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Increased employment levels resulted in 12.1 million extra hours worked per week (+17.6%) in Q1 2022 compared to Q1 2021

Table 2.1 Labour Force Survey Summary Results
IndicatorQ1 2022 Annual change 1
Employed persons aged 15-89 years2,505,800 +275,200
Employment rate for those aged 15-64 years72.8% +7.3 pp
Unemployed persons aged 15-74 years126,700-43,800
Unemployment rate for those aged 15-74 years4.8% -2.3 pp
In labour force2,632,500 +231,400
Not in labour force1,431,000-172,400
1 pp refers to percentage point change

Employment

  • There were 2,505,800 persons aged 15-89 years in employment in Q1 2022. This represents an increase of 275,200 (+12.3%) over the year from Q1 2021.
  • The employment rate for persons aged 15-64 years was up from 65.6% to 72.8% over the year to Q1 2022.
  • Of those who were in employment in Q1 2022, an estimated 168,100 (6.7%) were absent from work during the reference week (i.e., temporarily absent from work for reasons such as holidays, sick leave or maternity leave). This compares to 309,500 (13.9%) who were absent from work during the reference week in Q1 2021.
  • Overall employment was up compared to Q1 2021 while the number of absences from work during the reference week decreased. This resulted in the number of employed persons who were at work during the reference week increasing by 21.7% (+416,600) over the year.
  • The estimated total number of hours worked per week in Q1 2022 is 80.8 million hours, up by 12.1 million hours or 17.6% on Q1 2021.

Unemployment

  • There were 126,700 unemployed persons aged 15-74 years in Q1 2022 using ILO criteria, with an associated unemployment rate for those aged 15-74 of 4.8%, down from 7.1% in Q1 2021.
  • The unemployment rate among those aged 15-24 years was 7.5% in Q1 2022, down from 15.6% in Q1 2021.
  • The Monthly Unemployment release published on 05 May 2022 includes the latest monthly unemployment rates and monthly unemployment volumes up to April 2022; please see the Monthly Unemployment release for more information.

Labour Force

  • The estimated Labour Force (i.e., the sum of all persons aged 15-89 years who were either employed or unemployed) stood at 2,632,500 in Q1 2022, up by 9.6% (231,400) from Q1 2021.
  • The estimated participation rate in Q1 2022 was 64.8%, up from 60.0% in Q1 2021.
  • The number of persons outside the Labour Force, according to ILO criteria, was 1,431,000.

 

See Press Statement and Labour Force Survey Presentation Quarter 1 2022 (PPT 1,546KB)

Soundbite

This is an audio file with a 33-second quote from CSO Statistician with the Labour Market Division, Sam Scriven, about the Labour Force Survey Quarter 1 2022 release.
Media outlets have permission to use the clip as long as they credit the CSO.