Informations Rapides · 15 November 2023 · n° 285

In Q3 2023, the unemployment rate increased by 0.2 points ILO Unemployment and Labour Market-related indicators (Labour Force Survey results) - third quarter 2023

In Q3 2023, the number of unemployed people as defined by the International Labour Office (ILO) rose by 64,000 over the quarter and reached 2.3 million people. The ILO unemployment rate in France (excluding Mayotte) thus rose by 0.2 points to 7.4% of the labour force. It increased by 0.2 points over the year and stood at its Q2 2022 level, but remained clearly below its peak level reached in Q2 2015 (-3.1 points).

Over the quarter, the unemployment rate rose by 0.7 points for people aged 15 to 24, to 17.6%, nearly at the same level as a year ago (-0.1 points). For those aged 25 to 49, it increased by 0.2 points over the quarter and by 0.3 points over the year, to 6.7%. Finally, for those aged 50 or more, the unemployment rate was stable over the quarter and over the year, at 5.1%.

Over the quarter, the women’s unemployment rate increased by 0.3 points, to 7.4%, catching up with the men’s unemployment rate which was virtually stable over the quarter (+0.1 points).

Among the inactive people as defined by the ILO, 2.0 millions 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 increased slightly over the quarter (+39,000) and sharply over the year (+164,000). The share of halo in the population of people aged 15 to 64 was stable over the quarter, at 4.7%, and stood 0.4 points above its level from a year ago. Among young people, the share of halo increased by 1.1 points over the year to 7.3%. For those aged 25 to 49, it rose by 0.3 points over the year to 4.8%. For those aged 50 to 64, it was stable over the year at 3.1%

Among the unemployed, 539,000 people on average in Q3 2023 declared being jobless and having been job seeking for at least one year. This number decreased barely over the quarter. Thus, the long-term unemployment rate was stable over the quarter at 1.8% of the labour force. It stood 0.2 points below its Q3 2022 level and at its lowest since Q1 2009 (1.7%), with the exception of the exceptional artificial drop in Q2 2020 (1.4%) during the first lockdown.

On average, in Q3 2023, the employment rate of people aged 15 to 64 stood at 68.3%. It fell back slightly over the quarter (-0.2 points), reaching its level of a year ago. It remained clearly higher than its pre-crisis level (+1.5 points compared to Q4 2019).

Over the quarter, the employment rate of young people rebounded (+0.3 points) and reached 35.3%, 0.4 points above its level a year ago. However, for people aged 25 to 49, the employment rate fell sharply over the quarter, by 0.6 points, and stood at 82.2%, 0.5 points below its level a year ago. Finally, for those aged 50 to 64, it increased very slightly over the quarter (+0.1 points), bringing the year-on-year rise to 0.7 points. It stood at 66.9%, its highest level since INSEE started measuring it (1975). In particular, the employment rate for people aged 55 to 64 rose by 0.3 points over the quarter and by 1.4 points over the year.

In Q3 2023, the full-time employment rate fell back by 0.3 points, to 56.9%, after having reached in the previous quarter its highest level since INSEE started measuring it on a quarterly basis (2003). It stood 0.2 points below its level a year ago, at the same level as in Q1 2023. As a result, the share of part-time employment in total employment increased by 0.1 points over the quarter, to 17.4%. This share stood at the same level as in Q1 2023 and 1.4 points below its level at the end of 2019.

In Q3 2023, 4.4% of employed people were underemployed. This share was virtually stable over the quarter as over a year (-0.1 points) and stood 1.5 points below its pre-crisis level (at the end of 2019).

On average, in Q3 2023, 16.9% 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 rose by 0.2 points over the quarter and by 0.5 points over the year but remained 2.0 points below its pre‑crisis level.

In Q3 2023, the average number of hours worked per job rebounded slightly over the quarter (+1.3 % after -1.0%) to 31.4 hours per week (adjusted for seasonal variations and calendar effects). It was barely above its pre-crisis level (31.3 hours per week in Q4 2019).

The permanent employment rate for people aged 15 to 64 was virtually stable over the quarter (‑0.1 points), at 50.4%. It stood 0.2 points above its level a year ago and 0.6 points above its pre-crisis level (end of 2019). The employment rate on fixed-term contract or temporary work decreased slightly (-0.2 points to 6.6%) while the employment rate on fixed-term contract or temporary work was virtually stable (‑0.1 points to 8.4%). The work-study employment rate was stable over the quarter (at 2.4%).

The activity rate of people aged 15 to 64 fell back very slightly over the quarter (-0.1 points), to 73.8%, after having reached in the previous quarter its highest level since INSEE started measuring it (1975). It stood almost at its Q3 2022 level (+0.1 points) and 1.0 point above its end of 2019 level.

Over the quarter, the activity rate for people aged 15 to 24 rose (+0.8 points), to 42.9% . It was stable for those aged 50 to 64, at 70.5%, and fell back sharply for those aged 25 to 49 (-0.5 points), to 88.1%. Over the year, the activity rate increased for those aged 50 to 64 (+0.6 points) and for those aged 15 to 24 (+0.5 points) while it decreased slightly for those aged 25 to 49 (‑0.2 points).

In Q3 2023, the share of young people aged 15 to 29 neither in employment nor in education or training (NEET) was virtually stable (+0.1 points), at 12.3%. This share stood 0.7 points above its Q3 2022 level and at the same level as at the end of 2019.

Compared to the first estimate published on 11 August 2023, the ILO unemployment rate in Q2 2023 remained unchanged at 7.2%.

The activity rate for people aged 15 to 64 also remained unchanged while the employment rate has been revised downwards by 0.1 points to 68.5%. This adjustment is due to the usual updating of seasonal adjustment coefficients.

The next publication, relative to Q4 2023, is scheduled for 13 February 2024 at 7:30 am.