Informations Rapides · 13 February 2024 · n° 33

In Q4 2023, the unemployment rate was stable at 7.5% ILO Unemployment and Labour Market-related indicators (Labour Force Survey results) - fourth quarter 2023

In Q4 2023, the number of unemployed people in France (excluding Mayotte) as defined by the International Labour Office (ILO) rose by 29,000 over the quarter and reached 2.3 million people. The ILO unemployment rate stood at 7.5% of the labour force, stable compared to Q3 2023, for which the estimate has been slightly revised upwards (+0.1 points, from 7.4% to 7.5%). The unemployment rate was 0.4 points above its level at the end of 2022, which was the lowest since 1982; it remained clearly below its peak level reached in Q2 2015 (-3.0 points).

Over the quarter, the unemployment rate decreased by 0.2 points for people aged 15 to 24, to 17.5%, 0.6 points above its level from a year ago. For those aged 25 to 49, it increased again by 0.2 points over the quarter, to 7.0%, and stood 0.5 points above its level from a year ago. Finally, for those aged 50 or more, the unemployment rate was virtually stable over the quarter (-0.1 points), at 5.0%, the same level as a year ago.

Over the quarter, the women’s unemployment rate barely decreased (-0.1 points), to 7.4%, while the men’s unemployment rate rose very slightly to 7.6% (+0.1 points).

Among the inactive people as defined by the ILO, 1.9 million wanted a job without being considered unemployed, because they either did not seek a job or were not immediately available: they made up the halo around unemployment. This number decreased over the quarter (-88,000) and very slightly over the year (-17,000). Thus, the share of halo in the population of people aged 15 to 64 decreased by 0.2 points over the quarter, to 4.5%, back to its level from a year ago. Over the quarter, the share of halo decreased for all ages: -0.2 points among those aged 15 to 24 (to 7.0%) and those aged 50 to 64 (to 2.9%) and -0.1 points for those aged 25 to 49 (to 4.6%).

Among the unemployed, 571,000 people on average in Q4 2023 declared being jobless and having been job seeking for at least one year. This number rose by 33,000 over the quarter. Thus, the long-term unemployment rate increased very slightly over the quarter (+0.1 points) to 1.9% of the labour force. It remained slightly below its level at the end of 2022 (-0.1 points) and clearly below its level at the end of 2019 (-0.4 points).

On average, in Q4 2023, the employment rate of people aged 15 to 64 stood at 68.4%. After a decline in the previous two quarters (-0.3 points combined), it rose very slightly over the quarter (+0.1 points) back to its level at the end of 2022. It remained clearly higher than its pre-crisis level (+1.6 points compared to Q4 2019).

The employment rate of young people was stable over the quarter, at 35.3%, and virtually stable over the year (+0.1 points). For those aged 25 to 49, it was virtually stable over the quarter (+0.1 points), at 82.3%, 0.5 points below its level from a year ago. Finally, for those aged 50 to 64, the employment rate increased by 0.3 points over the quarter, bringing the year-on-year rise to 1.0 point: it reached 67.2%, its highest level since INSEE started measuring it (1975). In particular, the employment rate for people aged 55 to 64 rose by 0.1 points over the quarter and by 1.7 points over the year.

In Q4 2023, the full-time employment rate was virtually stable over the quarter, at 57.0% (+0.1 points), 0.2 points below its level from a year ago. The part-time employment rate was stable over the quarter, at 11.4%, 0.2 points above its Q4 2022 level. As a result, the share of part-time employment in total employment was virtually stable over the quarter, at 17.5% (+0.1 points). This share remained higher than its level at the end of 2022 (+0.4 points) but 1.3 points below its level at the end of 2019.

In Q4 2023, 4.5% of employed people were underemployed. This share was virtually stable over the quarter (+0.1 points) and over the year (-0.1 points) and stood 1.4 points below its pre-crisis level (at the end of 2019).

On average, in Q4 2023, 16.7% of participants in the labour market (active people or in the halo around unemployment) were constrained in their labour supply, either by the absence of a job (unemployed or halo around unemployment), or in a situation of underemployment. This share decreased by 0.2 points over the quarter, back to its Q2 2023 level. It rose by 0.5 points over the year but remained 2.2 points below its level at the end of 2019.

In Q4 2023, the average number of hours worked per job decreased slightly over the quarter (-0.6% after +1.3%) to 31.2 hours per week (adjusted for seasonal variations and calendar effects). It was almost at its pre-crisis level (31.3 hours per week in Q4 2019).

The permanent employment rate for people aged 15 to 64 rose by 0.2 points over the quarter to 50.6%. It stood 0.1 points above its level from a year ago and 0.8 points above its Q4 2019 level. The employment rate on fixed-term contract or temporary work was stable over the quarter (at 6.6%), such as self-employment rate (at 8.4%) and work-study employment rate (at 2.4%).

The activity rate of people aged 15 to 64 increased by 0.3 points over the quarter to 74.1%. It stood 0.4 points above its level at the end of 2022 and 1.3 points above its level at the end of 2019. It stood at its highest since INSEE started measuring it (1975).

Over the quarter, the activity rate for people aged 15 to 24 was virtually stable (-0.1 points), at 42.7%, remaining above its level from a year ago (+0.4 points). For those aged 25 to 49, the activity rate rose by 0.4 points over the quarter to 88.6%. It stood at its Q2 2023 level and 0.1 points above its Q4 2022 level. Finally, for those aged 50 to 64, it rose by 0.2 points over the quarter, to 70.8%, bringing the year-on-year rise to +1.1 points.

In Q4 2023, the share of young people aged 15 to 29 neither in employment nor in education or training (NEET) rose by 0.2 points to 12.5%. This share stood at its level from a year ago and 0.3 points above its level at the end of 2019.

Compared to the first estimate published on 15 November 2023, the ILO unemployment rate in Q3 2023 has been revised upwards by 0.1 points to 7.5% (which tips the rounding) and the ILO unemployment rate in Q4 2022 has been revised downwards by 0.1 points to 7.1%. These adjustments are due to the usual updating of seasonal adjustment coefficients. The activity rate for people aged 15 to 64 and the employment rate for people aged 15 to 64 remained unchanged.

The next publication, relative to Q1 2024, is scheduled for 17 May 2024 at 7:30 am.