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AM01010 Main figures from the labour force survey (2005-2025)

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Maria Heen
3/13/2026
number and pct.
A
1/22/2027
1/1/2000
Yes
Statistics Faroe Islands: www.hagstova.fo/en
AM01010_AFK_HOVTOL
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Symbols:  -  Nil (exactly zero)
 0  Rounded to zero
 •  Not applicable
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 ••• Not disclosed, confidentiality/privacy protected The labour force survey is an annual sample survey conducted in accordance with the general guidelines and definitions from the International Labour Organization (ILO) under the United Nations (UN). This makes the statistics comparable to labour force surveys in other countries, e.g. in the Eurostat database. The international guidelines prescribe that the survey should comprise all permanent residents of a country within the 15-74 age group.The labour force survey is conducted in the end of November each year estimating the labour force status for the week containing 15 November.
The main statistical objective of the survey is to classify people according to their activities during a short specified reference period. Most persons are identified as employed or unemployed by using public registers. Around 9,500 persons remian unclassified. From these 1,300 people are randomly selected to answer a survey. Based on the survey as well as other statistical sources, the remaining are classified.
Note that the unemployment in this survey is not comparable with the other unemployment published by Statistics Faroe Islands as they are based on records from the Unemployment insurance system (ALS) and the The Department of Social Services.

year

From 2005 to 2014, the labour force status was estimated on the basis of a sample drawn for a survey.
From 2015 onwards, most persons have been classified as employed or unemployed on the basis of administrative registers. The remaining persons, who cannot be identified in the registers, are estimated by age, sex and area of residence on the basis of a sample drawn for a survey.
In 2020, the data for 2015-2019 were revised.
In 2025, a new method was developed to produce a more accurate estimate of the Faroese labour force. The labour force has been revised using the new method back to 2015. The new model analyses the survey responses on labour force status on the basis of factors such as income (including wages and benefits), household composition, education, residential attachment, student status, marital status, age, sex and area of residence. The variables that prove during the year to be the best predictors of responses on labour force status are used to estimate this part of the population. The labour force has been revised using the new method back to 2015.

age

15-64 years

Age group compatible with the EUROSTAT database.

16-66 years

Age group compatible with the monthly register based unemployment statistics.

15-74 years

Age group in accordance to the ILO definition.

main figures

Unemployed

Persons, who in the reference period, were without work, actively seeking work and available to start work within two weeks.

Employed

Persons, who during the reference period, were at work for minimum one hour or temporarily absent from work (such as sick leave, parental leave or days off).

Labour force

Sum of employed and unemployed persons.

Outside the labour force

Persons, who in the reference period, were neither employed nor unemployed.

Population

Sum of all persons in the age group.

Unemployment rate

The number of unemployed persons as % of the total number of persons in the labour force.

Employment rate

The number of persons who are employed as % of the total population.

Activity rate

The number of persons in the labour force, ie. employed or unemployed, as % of the total population.