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CSO statistical release, 06 June 2018, 11am

Monthly Unemployment

May 2018

	Seasonally adjusted number of persons unemployed	Seasonally adjusted unemployment rate (%)
May 2017	154,600	6.6
April 2018	140,800	5.9
May 2018	139,000	5.8
		Percentage Points
Change in month	- 1,800	- 0.1
Change in year	- 15,600	- 0.8

Monthly unemployment rate of 5.8% May 2018

Figure 1 Monthly unemployment rate seasonally adjusted

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The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for May 2018 was 5.8%, down 0.1% from the rate of 5.9% in April 2018 and down from 6.6% in May 2017. The seasonally adjusted number of persons unemployed was 139,000 in May 2018, down from 140,800 when compared to the April 2018 figure and a decrease of 15,600 when compared to May 2017.

Summary points for May

In May 2018 the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.1% for males, down from 6.3% in April 2018 and down from 7.3% in May 2017.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for females in May 2018 was 5.5%, unchanged from 5.5% in April 2018 and down from 5.8% in May 2017.

The seasonally adjusted number of males unemployed in May 2018 was 79,100, down from 80,700 in April 2018. In May 2018 the seasonally adjusted number of females unemployed was 59,900, a decrease of 200 when compared to April 2018.

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for persons aged 15-24 years (youth unemployment rate) was 11.9% in May 2018, a decrease from 12.0% in April 2018.

Show Table 1a Seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment by sex - all persons aged 15-74 years

Table 1a Seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment by sex - All persons aged 15-74 years
		Number of persons			Unemployment rate (%)
		Males	Females	All Persons	Males	Females	All Persons
2016	May	120,500	85,600	206,100	9.5	8.1	8.9
	June	118,800	85,400	204,200	9.4	8.0	8.8
	July	117,100	81,500	198,600	9.2	7.7	8.5
	August	114,600	80,100	194,700	9.0	7.5	8.4
	September	108,800	76,300	185,100	8.6	7.2	8.0
	October	103,500	76,300	179,800	8.2	7.2	7.7
	November	99,200	76,800	176,000	7.9	7.2	7.6
	December	96,200	77,000	173,200	7.6	7.2	7.4

2017	January	93,600	77,700	171,300	7.4	7.2	7.3
	February	92,500	75,900	168,400	7.3	7.1	7.2
	March	92,100	70,800	162,900	7.3	6.6	7.0
	April	92,400	65,100	157,500	7.3	6.1	6.8
	May	92,400	62,200	154,600	7.3	5.8	6.6
	June	91,100	62,800	153,900	7.2	5.9	6.6
	July	90,100	67,700	157,800	7.1	6.3	6.7
	August	88,700	67,500	156,300	7.0	6.3	6.7
	September	88,000	67,400	155,400	6.9	6.2	6.6
	October	87,300	65,800	153,000	6.8	6.1	6.5
	November	86,500	64,700	151,100	6.7	6.0	6.4
	December	86,300	63,900	150,200	6.7	5.9	6.3

2018	January	85,500	62,800	148,300	6.6	5.8	6.2
	February	84,300	61,600	145,900	6.5	5.6	6.1
	March	82,800	60,900	143,700	6.4	5.6	6.0
	April	80,700	60,100	140,800	6.3	5.5	5.9
	May	79,100	59,900	139,000	6.1	5.5	5.8

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Open in Excel: Monthly Unemployment May 2018 Table 1(a) (XLS 45KB)

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Show Table 1b Seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment by sex - persons aged 15-24 years

Table 1b Seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment by sex - persons aged 15-24 years
		Number of persons			Unemployment rate (%)
		Males	Females	All Persons	Males	Females	All Persons
2016	May	31,200	20,900	52,200	19.9	15.0	17.6
	June	31,300	20,500	51,900	19.7	14.5	17.2
	July	31,800	18,900	50,800	19.8	13.6	16.9
	August	31,800	18,400	50,200	19.8	13.2	16.8
	September	30,300	18,000	48,300	19.2	13.0	16.3
	October	29,500	18,900	48,500	19.0	13.6	16.4
	November	27,900	19,200	47,200	18.3	13.8	16.2
	December	25,500	18,800	44,400	17.1	13.6	15.4

2017	January	22,600	18,100	40,700	15.5	13.1	14.4
	February	21,600	17,200	38,800	15.0	12.6	13.8
	March	23,200	16,800	40,000	16.0	12.4	14.3
	April	25,200	16,600	41,800	17.3	12.4	14.9
	May	26,300	16,600	42,900	18.1	12.5	15.4
	June	25,500	16,900	42,400	17.9	12.9	15.5
	July	23,500	17,800	41,300	17.1	14.0	15.6
	August	22,200	17,600	39,800	16.5	14.2	15.4
	September	21,300	16,900	38,200	15.6	13.5	14.6
	October	21,100	15,300	36,500	14.8	12.2	13.6
	November	21,100	14,500	35,600	14.3	11.3	12.9
	December	21,800	14,500	36,300	14.3	11.1	12.8

2018	January	22,200	14,400	36,500	14.6	10.9	12.9
	February	22,000	13,700	35,700	14.5	10.5	12.7
	March	21,600	13,200	34,800	14.4	10.3	12.5
	April	20,700	12,300	33,000	14.0	9.7	12.0
	May	20,100	12,200	32,300	13.8	9.7	11.9

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Open in Excel: Monthly Unemployment May 2018 Table 1(b) (XLS 45KB)

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Show Table 1c Seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment by sex - persons aged 25-74 years

Table 1c Seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment by sex - persons aged 25-74 years
		Number of persons			Unemployment rate (%)
		Males	Females	All Persons	Males	Females	All Persons
2016	May	89,300	64,700	153,900	8.1	7.0	7.6
	June	87,500	64,900	152,400	7.9	7.0	7.5
	July	85,300	62,500	147,800	7.7	6.8	7.3
	August	82,800	61,700	144,500	7.5	6.7	7.1
	September	78,500	58,300	136,800	7.1	6.3	6.7
	October	74,000	57,400	131,400	6.7	6.2	6.5
	November	71,300	57,500	128,900	6.4	6.2	6.3
	December	70,700	58,200	128,800	6.4	6.3	6.3

2017	January	71,000	59,600	130,600	6.4	6.4	6.4
	February	70,800	58,700	129,600	6.3	6.3	6.3
	March	68,900	53,900	122,900	6.2	5.8	6.0
	April	67,200	48,500	115,800	6.0	5.2	5.7
	May	66,100	45,600	111,600	5.9	4.9	5.4
	June	65,600	45,900	111,500	5.9	4.9	5.4
	July	66,600	49,800	116,500	5.9	5.3	5.6
	August	66,500	49,900	116,500	5.9	5.3	5.6
	September	66,700	50,500	117,200	5.9	5.3	5.6
	October	66,100	50,400	116,600	5.8	5.3	5.6
	November	65,300	50,200	115,500	5.8	5.2	5.5
	December	64,500	49,400	113,900	5.7	5.2	5.4

2018	January	63,300	48,500	111,800	5.6	5.1	5.3
	February	62,300	47,900	110,200	5.5	5.0	5.2
	March	61,200	47,700	108,900	5.4	4.9	5.2
	April	59,900	47,800	107,800	5.3	4.9	5.1
	May	58,900	47,800	106,700	5.2	4.9	5.0

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Open in Excel: Monthly Unemployment May 2018 Table 1(c) (XLS 45KB)

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Show Background Notes

Background Notes

Purpose

The purpose of this release is to provide a detailed series of monthly unemployment estimates. The release contains both monthly unemployment rates and monthly unemployment volumes.

Calculation of Monthly Estimates

The Labour Force Survey (LFS) provides benchmark estimates of employment and unemployment for each quarter since the beginning of 1998. These quarterly benchmark estimates are then used to compile monthly data using the Proportional Denton method. The main characteristic of this method is that the monthly Live Register series is used as an indicator to disaggregate the quarterly LFS unemployment series into a monthly series in such a way as to minimise the differences between two consecutive months. It also ensures that the average of three months in a particular calendar quarter is equal to the corresponding LFS estimate.

For months where the quarterly unemployment data is not yet available, the ratio of the LFS monthly estimate to the Live Register monthly estimate (i.e. the benchmark to indicator ratio) is forecast forward in order to extrapolate a monthly LFS estimate. The monthly series is revised each quarter when the latest quarterly data becomes available. This approach adheres to agreed international practice.

Seasonal Adjustment

To correct for typical seasonal patterns, the data series included have been concurrently seasonally adjusted. This seasonal adjustment is completed by applying the X-12-ARIMA model, developed by the U.S. Census Bureau. In the case of these monthly unemployment estimates, seasonal adjustment is conducted using the indirect approach, where each individual series is independently adjusted. To preserve consistency between the individual and aggregate series, the series for gender, age group and total monthly unemployed are then created from these component series. The series for monthly unemployment rates are likewise created from these component series.

Additional Background Information

Further information regarding the LFS and Live Register series are available from each respective release, while specific information regarding the new LFS and the impact of the revisions arising from the Census of Population 2016 is available in an additional information note.

Labour Force Survey Q4 2017

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