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.
The number of persons aged 15-74 years who were unemployed decreased by 30,100 (-16.8%) to 149,100 in the year to Q3 2021, using the standard LFS labour market criteria. The overall unadjusted unemployment rate decreased from 7.4% to 5.7% over the year to Q3 2021. See Table 9.1.
Unemployment decreased by 13,100 (-14.3%) for males to 78,600 in the year to Q3 2021 compared with a fall of 17,000 (-19.4%) to 70,500 for females over the same period. The unemployment rate for males was 5.7% in Q3 2021 down from 7.0% a year earlier while the corresponding rates for females were 5.8% and 7.9% respectively. See Tables 9.1 and 9.
While the unemployment rate for persons aged 15-74 stood at 5.7% in Q3 2021 there were differences by age with a rate as low as 2.2% for those aged 65-74 years and as high as 14.4% 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 2.5% and 27.6% respectively. The unemployment rate for those aged 15-24 years is known as the Youth Unemployment Rate; it stood at 12.1% in Q3 2021 down from 20.9% in Q3 2020. See Table 9.8.
On an annual basis, unemployment decreased in seven of the eight NUTS 3 regions with the largest decrease occurring in the Dublin region (-13,700) followed by the Border region (-5,200). See Table 9.9.
Duration of Unemployment
Over six in ten unemployed people in Q3 2021 were in short-term unemployment (less than one year). Over the year to Q3 2021, short-term unemployment fell by 43,200 (-31.4%) to 94,400 while there was a rise of 10,600 (+30.5%) in the numbers of long-term unemployed to 45,100.
The long-term unemployment rate increased from 1.4% to 1.7% between Q3 2020 and Q3 2021. Over a quarter (30.3%) of unemployed persons were in long-term unemployment in Q3 2021 which is up from 19.3% a year earlier. See Table 9.6.
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