Key findings: P0211 - Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), 1st Quarter 2020

The official unemployment rate increased by 1,0 percentage point to 30,1% in the first quarter of 2020 compared to the fourth quarter of 2019. The number of employed persons decreased by 38 000 to 16,4 million and the number of unemployed persons increased by 344 000 to 7,1 million in Q1: 2020 compared to Q4: 2019, resulting in an increase of 306 000 in the labour force. The largest employment decreases were observed in the formal sector (50 000), followed by the Agricultural sector with 21 000 in Q1: 2020. On the other hand, employment in the informal sector and Private households increased by 3 000 and 30 000 respectively.