Labour market

The working-age population is broadly divided into three: employees, i.e. employed persons; unemployed persons and economically inactive persons. The employed and the unemployed together form the economically active population, i.e. the labour force. Active job search is any activity to find a job or start a business. The inactive population includes those who do not want to or cannot work, such as housewives, non-working students, people with disabilities, etc.

Labour market statistics provide an overview of the labour market situation in Estonia, for example:

  • the employment rate;
  • the number of salaried employees and their occupations;
  • how many people work part-time;
  • how many people are unemployed in Estonia;
  • the employment rate of the immigrant population;
  • how many working-age people are economically inactive;
  • educational attainment of the working-age population by economic activity and county.

Labour market statistics are required for planning municipal and state budgets, as well as for preparing national action plans.

Labour participation rate of persons aged 15–74 73.3 %
2022
Employment rate of persons aged 15–74 69.2 %
2022
Unemployment rate of persons aged 15–74 5.6 %
2022
Labour participation rate of persons aged 15–74 (quarter) 73.3 %
0.3%
2023 Q1
Employment indicators for 15–24-year-olds | 2012–2022
News

Working international students and graduates contributed over 22 million euros in taxes in the previous academic year

Statistics Estonia analysed the economic contribution of working international students and international graduates. The analysis, commissioned by the Education and Youth Board, shows that, in the academic year 2021/22, international degree students contributed 14 million euros and international graduates over 8 million euros in taxes. In recent years, there has been a considerable rise in the number of international graduates who stay to work in Estonia after graduation. The majority of these graduates work in Tallinn.
Read more 13. February 2023