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.
Numbers unemployed decreased by 25.7% to 126,700 in the year to Q1 2022
The number of persons aged 15-74 years who were unemployed decreased by 43,800 (-25.7%) to 126,700 in the year to Q1 2022, using standard International Labour Organisation (ILO) criteria. The unadjusted unemployment rate for persons aged 15-74 years decreased from 7.1% to 4.8% over the year to Q1 2022. See Table 9.1.
Unemployment decreased by 24,800 (-26.5%) for males to 68,800 in the year to Q1 2022 compared with a fall of 19,000 (-24.7%) to 58,000 for females over the same period. The unemployment rate for males was 5.0% in Q1 2022 down from 7.3% a year earlier while the corresponding rates for females were 4.7% and 7.0% respectively. See Tables 9.1 and 9.7.
While the unemployment rate for persons aged 15-74 stood at 4.8% in Q1 2022 there were differences by age with a rate as low as 2.3% for those aged 65-74 years and as high as 10.2% for those aged 15-19 years. Those age groups also had the lowest and highest unemployment rates a year earlier but the rates then stood at 4.4% and 25.3% respectively. The unemployment rate for those aged 15-24 years is known as the Youth Unemployment Rate; it stood at 7.5% in Q1 2022 down from 15.6% in Q1 2021. See Table 9.8.
On an annual basis, unemployment decreased in all eight NUTS 3 regions with the largest decrease occurring in the South-West region (-13,600) followed by the Dublin region (-10,200). See Table 9.9.
Over six in ten unemployed people in Q1 2022 were in short-term unemployment (less than one year). Over the year to Q1 2022, short-term unemployment fell by 46,900 (-37.7%) to 77,400 while there was a rise of 2,900 (+7.1%) in the numbers of long-term unemployed to 43,700.
The long-term unemployment rate remained unchanged at 1.7% in Q1 2021 and Q1 2022. Over a third (34.5%) of unemployed persons were in long-term unemployment in Q1 2022 which is up from 23.9% a year earlier. See Table 9.6.
