We know Estonia
15.5.2023 | Estonia

Unemployment falling: Part-time employment increasing

Text Mark Taylor
Photo Andrei Chertkov

Unemployment falling: Part-time employment increasing

 

According to data released by Statistics Estonia, in the first quarter of 2023, the unemployment rate was 5.3 per cent, 2 percentage points lower than the same period last year. This was mainly due to a rise in the number of people in part-time employment, which rose to 15.8 per cent.

“The downward trend in the unemployment rate has slowed. In the first quarter of 2023, there were 39,100 unemployed persons. This is 500 fewer than at the same time a year ago, but 300 more than in the last quarter of 2022. Compared with the same time last year, the number of people who have been unemployed for 12 months or longer has decreased the most, by 2,900 persons, whereas the number of people unemployed for less than six months has increased by 3,300,“ noted Tea Vassiljeva, an analyst at Statistics Estonia.

The unemployment rate of 5.3 per cent was two percentage points lower in the first quarter of this year than at the same time a year earlier. Compared with last year, it fell in Northern Estonia but rose in Southern and Central Estonia.

The number of people in employment continued to grow in the first quarter, mainly due to those working part-time. “In the first quarter of 2023, there were 696,600 people in the 15–74 age group who were employed. This is 21,300 more than at the same time in 2022 and 16,000 more than in the last quarter of last year. 586,400 of them worked full-time in their main job and 110,200 part-time,” Vassiljeva added.

The number and share of people in part-time employment has been growing steadily since the third quarter of 2021, reaching 15.8 per cent of all employed persons in the first quarter of 2023.

In the first quarter of 2023, there were 268,400 inactive persons, which is 4,900 more than the year before. The number of women among the inactive was 147,500, down from a year earlier, while there were 120,800 inactive men, 7,100 more than at the same time last year.

 

 

To learn more about this and similar topics
Employment Employment Estonia Full-time Job jobs in Estonia Part-time Statistics Estonia Unemployment

18.4.2025 | Estonia

camera icon6
Exhibition of war booty of Ukrainian fighters at the Estonian War Museum—also offering pastries to support veterans

Exhibition of war booty of Ukrainian fighters at the Estonian War Museum—also offering pastries to support veterans

The Estonian War Museum in Viimsi will hold a charity event on Saturday, 19 April, with proceeds going to … Read more

16.4.2025 | Estonia

Tank up, and then off to Tallinn

Tank up, and then off to Tallinn

DiscoverCars.com ranked Europe’s top destinations for car travellers in the spring. The ranking was based on a number of … Read more

8.4.2025 | Estonia

Flights Resume Between Tartu and the World

Flights Resume Between Tartu and the World

Air traffic between Tartu and Helsinki was reopened in March last year. During this past year, over 37,000 passengers … Read more

5.4.2025 | Estonia

Housing prices in Estonia continued to rise in 2024 

Housing prices in Estonia continued to rise in 2024 

According to Statistics Estonia, the housing price index increased by an average of 6.1% in 2024 compared to the … Read more

25.3.2025 | Estonia

Understanding Estonians when they speak English

Understanding Estonians when they speak English

Like the title of this article, sometimes what you understand is not what’s really being said when you have … Read more

20.3.2025 | Estonia

Tallinn Fashion Week takes off

Tallinn Fashion Week takes off

Estonia’s preeminent fashion event is taking off on the runway today in Tallinn’s Vene kultuurikeskus. Tallinn Fashion Week, which … Read more

19.3.2025 | Estonia

AI surveillance to make Estonia safer

AI surveillance to make Estonia safer

Security cameras powered by artificial intelligence are the Estonian government’s plan to crack down on already low levels of … Read more

15.3.2025 | Estonia

Estonia is a popular destination for tourists

Estonia is a popular destination for tourists

According to Statistics Estonia, a total of 205,000 tourists stayed in accommodation establishments in Estonia in January 2025, which … Read more