Informations Rapides · 17 May 2024 · n° 120

In Q1 2024, the unemployment rate was stable at 7.5% ILO Unemployment and Labour Market-related indicators (Labour Force Survey results) - first quarter 2024

In Q1 2024, the number of unemployed people in France (excluding Mayotte) as defined by the International Labour Office (ILO) rose by 6,000 over the quarter and reached 2.3 million people. The ILO unemployment rate stood at 7.5% of the labour force, stable compared to Q4 2023. It was 0.4 points above its Q1 2023 level, which, like in Q4 2022, 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 increased by 0.6 points for people aged 15 to 24, to 18.1%, 1.5 points above its level from a year ago. For those aged 25 to 49, it declined by 0.2 points over the quarter, to 6.8%, and stood 0.4 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 5.1%, almost at the same level as a year ago (-0.1 points).

Over the quarter, the women’s unemployment rate barely decreased (-0.1 points), to 7.3%, while the men’s unemployment rate rose very slightly to 7.7% (+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 slightly over the quarter (-16,000) and more sharply over the year (-90,000). Thus, the share of halo in the population of people aged 15 to 64 decreased by 0.1 points over the quarter and by 0.3 points over the year, to 4.4%. Over the quarter, this share was stable among those aged 15 to 24, at 7.0%, virtually stable stable for those aged 50 to 64, at 3.0% (+0.1 points), and decreased slightly for those aged 25 to 49, at 4.3% (-0.2 points).

Among the unemployed, 549,000 people on average in Q1 2024 declared being jobless and having been job seeking for at least one year. This number decreased by 23,000 over the quarter. The long-term unemployment rate was stable over the quarter and over the year at 1.8% of the labour force. It remained 0.4 points below its level at the end of 2019.

On average, in Q1 2024, the employment rate of people aged 15 to 64 increased by 0.3 points to 68.8%. It stood 0.2 points above its level from a year ago and reached its highest since INSEE started measuring it (1975).

Over the quarter, the employment rate increased for all ages. Among young people (aged 15-24), it rose by 0.2 points, to 35.3%, virtually stable over the year (+0.1 points). For those aged 25 to 49, it increased by 0.3 points over the quarter, to 82.7%, but remained below its Q1 2023 level (-0.2 points). Finally, for those aged 50 to 64, the employment rate increased by 0.5 points over the quarter, bringing the year-on-year rise to 1.2 points, reaching 67.7%, its highest level since INSEE started measuring it (1975). In particular, the employment rate for people aged 55 to 64 rose by 0.7 points over the quarter and by 1.9 points over the year.

In Q1 2024, the full-time employment rate increased by 0.2 points over the quarter, to 57.3%, back to its level from a year ago. The part-time employment rate was virtually stable over the quarter and over the year, at 11.5% (+0.1 points). As a result, the share of part-time employment in total employment was stable over the quarter, at 17.5%. This share remained slightly above its Q1 2023 level (+0.2 points) but 1.3 points below its level at the end of 2019.

In Q1 2024, 4.3% of employed people were underemployed. This share decreased slightly over the quarter (-0.2 points) and stood almost at the its level from a year ago (-0.1 points) but 1.6 points below its pre-crisis level (at the end of 2019).

On average, in Q1 2024, 16.5% 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 again by 0.2 points over the quarter, back to its Q1 2023 level. It stood 2.4 points below its level at the end of 2019.

In Q1 2024, the average number of hours worked per job rose slightly over the quarter (+0.3% after -0.6%) to 31.3 hours per week (adjusted for seasonal variations and calendar effects). It stood at its pre-crisis level (31.3 hours per week in Q4 2019).

The permanent employment rate for people aged 15 to 64 was stable over the quarter to 50.7%. It stood 0.1 points above its level from a year ago, 0.9 points above its Q4 2019 level and at its highest level since INSEE started measuring it on a quarterly basis (2003). The employment rate on fixed-term contract or temporary work was stable over the quarter (at 6.6%) such as work-study employment rate (at 2.4%). Finally, self-employment rate rose sharply over the quarter and over the year, to 8.7% (+0.3 points).

The activity rate of people aged 15 to 64 increased by 0.4 points over the quarter to 74.5%. It stood 0.6 points above its level from a year ago, 1.7 points above its level at the end of 2019 and at its highest since INSEE started measuring it (1975).

Over the quarter, the activity rate for people aged 15 to 24 rose by 0.5 points, to 43.1%, 0.9 points above its level from a year ago. For those aged 25 to 49, it increased by 0.2 points over the quarter and over the year, to 88.8%. Finally, for those aged 50 to 64, it rose by 0.5 points over the quarter, to 71.3%, bringing the year-on-year rise to +1.1 points.

In Q1 2024, the share of young people aged 15 to 29 neither in employment nor in education or training (NEET) was virtually stable at 12.6% (+0.1 points). This share stood 0.3 points above its level from a year ago and 0.4 points above its level at the end of 2019.

Compared to the first estimate published on 13 February 2024, the ILO unemployment rate in Q4 2023 remained unchanged at 7.5%. The activity rate for people aged 15 to 64 also remained unchanged while the employment rate has been revised upwards by 0.1 points to 68.5%.

These slight adjustments are due on the one hand to revisions, usual at this time of the year, made to the weights of the Labour Force Survey starting in 2020 and for the following years (calibration on new population margins), and on the other hand, to the usual updating of seasonal adjustment coefficients.

The next publication, relative to Q2 2024, is scheduled for 9 August 2024 at 7:30 am.