Continued sharp rise in employment

Employment increased by 64,000, while unemployment dropped 18,000 from first quarter 1997 to first quarter 1998. The growth in employment and the decline in unemployment was strongest among women between the ages of 16 and 24.

The percentage of economically active people in the population (16-74 years of age) was 72.5 per cent, against 71.3 per cent the same quarter the year before. Participation in the labour force increased by 1.4 per cent for women and 1.1 per cent for men, and labour force participation grew in most age groups. The biggest increase was seen among persons under the age of 30, new figures from Statistics Norway's Labour Force Survey show.

Growth in labour force participation in the various age groups is the most important reason for the growth in the labour force from first quarter 1997 to first quarter 1998. Pure demographic changes have, however, also contributed to the change. A change in the age composition of age groups with high labour participation is one factor. Moreover, the overall population of 16 to 74 year olds has grown by 12,000 people in the last year. Some of this growth is due to increased immigration from other Nordic countries.

Employment rose within most sectors. The strongest growth was in business services, building and construction, and transport.

New Statistics

Labour Force Survey, first quarter 1998.
The statistics are published every quarter in the Weekly Bulletin of Statistics. Detailed figures are found in basic tables from the labour force survey. For more information, contact: ole.sandvik@ssb.no, tel. +47 21 09 45 77, or inger.haland@ssb.no, tel. +47 21 09 47 80.

Weekly Bulletin issue no. 18, 1998