Informations Rapides · 9 August 2024 · n° 198

In Q2 2024, the unemployment rate decreased by 0.2 points ILO Unemployment and Labour Market-related indicators (Labour Force Survey results) - second quarter 2024

In Q2 2024, the number of unemployed people in France (excluding Mayotte) as defined by the International Labour Office (ILO) decreased by 40,000 over the quarter and reached 2.3 million people. The ILO unemployment rate thus decreased by 0.2 points to 7.3% of the labour force. It stood 0.1 points above its level from a year ago. It remained slightly above its lowest level since 1982 (7.1% in Q4 2022 and in Q1 2023) and clearly below its peak level reached in Q2 2015 (-3.2 points).

Over the quarter, the unemployment rate decreased by 0.4 points for people aged 15 to 24, to 17.7%, but stood 0.8 points above its level from a year ago. For those aged 25 to 49, it was virtually stable over the quarter (-0.1 points) and over the year (+0.1 points), at 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 barely increased (+0.1 points), to 7.4%, while the men’s unemployment rate decreased by 0.3 points, to 7.3%.

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 rose over the quarter (+39,000) but decreased over the year (-25,000). Thus, the share of halo in the population of people aged 15 to 64 increased by 0.1 points over the quarter and stood at its level from a year ago, at 4.6%. Over the quarter, this share rose by 0.3 points for those aged 15 to 24, to 7.5%, while it was virtually stable (+0.1 points) for those aged 25 to 49, at 4.4%, and stable for those aged 50 to 64, at 3.0%. Among young people, the share of halo stood 1.3 points above its level at the end of 2019. This trend was driven by those still in their initial studies.

Among the unemployed, 539,000 people on average in Q2 2024 declared being jobless and having been job seeking for at least one year. This number decreased by 11,000 over the quarter. The long-term unemployment rate thus decreased by 0.1 points over the quarter and over the year, to 1.7% of the labour force. It remained below its level at the end of 2019 (-0.5 points).

On average, in Q2 2024, the employment rate of people aged 15 to 64 increased by 0.2 points to 69.0%. It stood 0.4 points above its level from a year ago and reached its highest since INSEE started measuring it (1975).

For those aged 15 to 24, the employment rate was virtually stable over the quarter (-0.1 points) and over the year (+0.1 points), at 35.1%. For those aged 25 to 49, it increased very slightly over the quarter and over the year, to 82.9% (+0.1 points). Finally, for those aged 50 to 64, the employment rate rose by 0.4 points over the quarter, bringing the year-on-year rise to 1.3 points, reaching 68.1%, its highest level since INSEE started measuring it (1975). In particular, the employment rate for people aged 55 to 64 rose by 0.4 points over the quarter and by 1.7 points over the year.

In Q2 2024, the full-time employment rate increased by 0.1 points over the quarter and over the year, to 57.4%. The part-time employment rate rose by 0.1 points over the quarter and by 0.3 points over the year, to 11.6%. As a result, the share of part-time employment in total employment was virtually stable over the quarter, at 17.6% (+0.1 points). This share remained slightly above its Q2 2023 level (+0.3 points) but 1.2 points below its level at the end of 2019.

In Q2 2024, 4.3% of employed people were underemployed. This share was stable over the quarter, stood 0.2 points below its level from a year ago, 1.6 points below its pre-crisis level (at the end of 2019) and at its lowest since 1992.

On average, in Q2 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 was stable over the quarter and virtualy stable over the year (-0.1 points). It stood 2.4 points below its level at the end of 2019.

In Q2 2024, the average number of hours worked per job decreased slightly over the quarter (-0.6% after +0.3%) to 31.1 hours per week (adjusted for seasonal variations and calendar effects). It stood very slightly above its level from a year ago (31.0 hours per week in Q2 2023).

The permanent employment rate for people aged 15 to 64 increased very slightly (+0.1 points) over the quarter, bringing the year-on-year rise to +0,4 points, to 50.9%. It stood 1.1 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%) and remained below its Q4 2019 level (-0.3 points). The work-study employment rate (at 2.4%) and self-employment rate (at 8.7%) were both virtually stable over the quarter but remained clearly above their pre-crisis levels (+0.8 points and +0.7 points respectively).

The activity rate of people aged 15 to 64 was stable over the quarter, at 74.5%. It stood 0.5 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 declined by 0.4 points, to 42.6%, 0.5 points above its level from a year ago. For those aged 25 to 49, it was stable over the quarter, at 88.8%, slightly above its level from a year ago (+0.2 points). Finally, for those aged 50 to 64, it rose by 0.4 points over the quarter, to 71.8%, bringing the year-on-year rise to +1.4 points. It reached its highest since INSEE started measuring it (1975).

In Q2 2024, 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 12.5%. 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 17 May 2024, the ILO unemployment rate in Q4 2023 remained unchanged at 7.5%. The activity rate and the employment rate for people aged 15 to 64 also remained unchanged.

The next publication, relative to Q3 2024, is scheduled for 13 November 2024 at 7:30 am.