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French unemployment falls slightly, but remains higher than a year ago

France’s third-quarter unemployment rate slipped to 8.2 per cent from 8.3 per cent, with 47,000 fewer people unemployed. The quarterly improvement left the rate above its year-earlier level. Youth unemployment declined during the quarter, while the number of people looking for work for at least a year increased and the employment rate barely changed.

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High-angle overhead view of an employment adviser and a young jobseeker talking across a consultation desk in a French employment office.

Unemployment edges down over the quarter

France had 2.63 million unemployed people in the third quarter, a decline of 47,000 from the preceding three months. The unemployment rate moved from 8.3 per cent to 8.2 per cent. Compared with the same quarter a year earlier, however, the number of people without work was higher by 150,000.[1], [2]

The seasonally adjusted measure from France’s statistical office INSEE covers France excluding Mayotte and uses the International Labour Organization’s unemployment definition. The quarterly rate fell by 0.1 percentage points but was 0.4 percentage points above its year-earlier level.[1]

Youth unemployment remains above last year

Among people aged 15–24, unemployment fell by 0.5 percentage points during the quarter to 21 per cent, still 1.6 percentage points higher than a year earlier. The rate for people aged 25–49 declined to 7.3 per cent. For those aged 50 and over it rose slightly to 5.6 per cent. Women’s unemployment was 7.8 per cent and men’s was 8.6 per cent.[1]

Long-term joblessness increases

Around 680,000 people had been looking for work for at least a year, up 7,000 over the quarter and 82,000 over the year. The long-term unemployment rate held at 2.1 per cent. Employment among people aged 15–64 reached 69.1 per cent, up 0.1 percentage points during the quarter but down 0.2 percentage points over the year. Underemployment was 4.6 per cent.[1]

References

  1. News sourceINSEEFrench unemployment edges down to 8.2% in third quarter↩1↩2↩3↩4
  2. News sourceTeleborsaFrench unemployment slips to 8.2 per cent in the third quarter↩
Central banks and the rate cycleEnergy transition and climate

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