Informations Rapides · 12 August 2022 · n° 210

In Q2 2022, the unemployment rate was virtually stable at 7.4% ILO Unemployment and Labour Market-related indicators (Labour Force Survey results) - second quarter 2022

In Q2 2022, the number of unemployed people increased by 29,000 over the quarter, and reached 2.3 million people. The ILO unemployment rate in France (excluding Mayotte) was thus virtually stable (+0,1 points) at 7.4% of the labour force, back to its Q4 2021 level. Over the year, it decreased by 0.5 points and stood 0.8 points below its pre-crisis level (at the end of 2019).

Over the quarter, the unemployment rate rose by 1.3 points for people aged 15 to 24, at 17.8%, but remained clearly below its pre-crisis level (by 3.7 points). However, the unemployment rate was virtually stable for those aged 25 to 49 (+0.1 points) at 6.7% and decreased for those aged 50 or more to 5.2% (–0.3 points).

Over the quarter, the men’s unemployment rate barely increased (+0.1 points) at 7.5% while the women’s unemployment rate was stable at 7.3%. The unemployment rate stood below its level in Q2 2021 for both women (–0.6 points) and men (–0.4 points).

Among the inactive people as defined by the ILO, 1.9 million wanted a job without being considered unemployed, because they either do not seek a job or are not immediately available: they made up the halo around unemployment. The share of halo in the population increased very slightly quarter-to-quarter (+0.1 points to 4.5% of people aged 15 to 64) but stood 0.3 points below its previous year level. Over the quarter, the share of halo in the 15-24 years old population increased by 0.4 points at 6.5 %, after a decline of the same level in the previous quarter, while it was virtually stable at 4.7% (+0.1 points) for those aged 25 to 49 to and stable at 3.0% for those aged 50 to 64.

Among the unemployed, 638 000 people declared being jobless and having been job seeking for at least one year in Q2 2022. The long-term unemployment rate stood at 2.1% of the labour force. It decreased very slightly over the quarter (–0.1 points) and stood 0.3 points below its level in Q2 2021.

On average, in Q2 2022, the employment rate of people aged 15 to 64 was stable at 68.0%. It stood 1.0 point above its level one year ago and at its highest since INSEE started measuring it (1975).

Over the quarter, the employment rate grew by 0.3 points for those aged 15-24 and reached 34.9%, its highest level since 1990. For those aged 25-49, it decreased by 0.2 points to 82.3% while it rose by 0.5 points for those aged 50-64 to 66.0%, exceeding its historical high of the previous quarter.

In Q2 2022, 4.6% of employed people were underemployed. This share went down by 0.1 points over the quarter. It stood 1.3 points below its pre-crisis level, at its lowest since 1992. This drop reflects the one of part-time workers wishing to work more hours and available to do so, who represent the bulk of underemployment. Meanwhile, the share of people who involuntarily worked less than usual (which include partial activity) was stable over the quarter, at 0.2%, clearly below its level one year ago but at the same level as at the end of 2019.

Overall, in Q2 2022, 16.8% 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 was stable over the quarter, and stood at its lowest level since 1991.

In Q2 2022, the average number of hours worked per week and per job was stable at 31.5 hours, the same level as at the end of 2019.

The full-time employment rate stood at 56.7% in Q2 2022. It grew by 0.1 points over the quarter and by 1.4 points over the year. On the other hand, the part-time employment rate decrased by 0.1 points over the quarter and by 0.5 points over the year. As a result, the share of part-time employment in total employment decreased by 0.2 points over the quarter to 17.3%, 0.8 points below its level one year ago. In Q2 2022, it was at its lowest level since 2002.

The permanent employment rate for people aged 15 to 64 was stable over the quarter at 49.6%. The employment rate on fixed-term contract or temporary work was also stable over the quarter at 7.2%. The self-employed employment rate (–0.1 points to 8.5%) and the work-study employment rate (+0.1 points to 2.3%) were virtually stable over the quarter but stood clearly above their pre-crisis level (respectively by 0.5 points and 0.7 points).

The activity rate of people aged 15 to 64 slightly rose over the quarter (+0.1 points), to 73.5%. Thus, it exceeded its highest-ever level of the previous quarter.

The growth over the quarter was stronger among young people. The activity rate for people aged 15 to 24 rose by 1.1 points over the quarter to 42.5%, and by 3.1 points over the year. It stood at its highest level since 1990. Over the quarter, it decreased by 0.2 points to 88.1% for people aged 25 to 49, while it increased by 0.2 points to 69.6% for those aged 50-64. Over the year, the activity rate rose slightly for middle-aged people (+0.2 points) and oldest people (+0.3 points).

In Q2 2022, the share of young people aged 15 to 29 neither in employment nor in education or training (NEET) rose by 0.3  points to 12.1%. This share decreased by 0.5 points over the year and stood 0.2 points below its pre-crisis level.

Compared to the first estimate published on May 17, 2022, the ILO unemployment rate in Q1 2022 remained unchanged at 7.3%.

The employment rate and the activity rate also remained unchanged.

The next publication, relative to Q3 2022, is scheduled for 15 November 2022 at 7:30 am.