Labour Market Statistics: Norway and EU

High employment rate for women in Norway

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Compared with the EU-countries Norway has a very high employment rate among females. 73.8 per cent of the Norwegian females were employed in the 2nd quarter 2001, compared to 54.8 per cent among females in the EU-countries, according to figures from the Labour Force Surveys for the age group 15-64.

Written by: Tor Petter Bø / Inger Håland

The employment rate for women differs, however, a lot in the EU-countries. It is highest in the Nordic countries Denmark (71.4 per cent), Sweden (69.7 per cent) and Finland (66.6 per cent). The EEA-country Iceland has the highest female employment rate, at 82.9 per cent. Close to the high Nordic rates we find the Netherlands and United Kingdom at approximately 65 per cent. Then there is a large gap to the other countries, Portugal, Austria and Germany at 59-61 per cent. Lowest female employment rate we find in Spain, Italy and Greece (41-43 per cent).

The high rate of female employment in Norway must be seen in connection with the high proportion of part-time workers. 43 per cent of the employed females are working part-time, while the average in EU is 34 per cent.

Unemployment rate at 3.9 per cent in Norway, 7.6 in EU

For the unemployment OECD has produced more updated figures, for the 2nd quarter 2002 (standardized and seasonally adjusted). Only two EU-countries have lower unemployment than Norway (3.9 per cent): the Netherlands (2.7) and Luxembourg (2.3). Highest unemployment rates we find in Spain (11.2 per cent), Finland (9.2), Italy (9.0) and France (8.8).

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