Number of unemployed rises
Figures from both Statistics Finland and the Ministry of Employment and the Economy show the number of jobless was up in April over the same month of 2011.
According to Statistics Finland’s Labour Force Survey, the number of unemployed persons in April was 226,000, which was 6,000 higher than one year ago. In April 2012, the unemployment rate was 8.4 percent, having been 8.2 percent in April of the year before.
On the other hand, the number of employed persons this past April was 2,468,000, higher by 9,000 than a year earlier. However, the error of margin for the figures is high.
The International Labour Organization, ILO, defines an employed person as anyone who works for pay at least one hour a week.
"The number of people [in Finland] who do such low levels of work is extremely small," says Statistics Finland actuary Veli Rajaniemi.
In April, unemployment among men was higher than among women. Employment and Economy Ministry figures showed a rise in unemployment among under-23 year olds. The figures from Statistics Finland did not. The latter are considered official.
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