The unemployment rate again remained almost stable in the second quarter of 2021 (- 0.1 point) to stand at 8% of the working population (excluding Mayotte), according to figures published on Friday August 13 by the Institute. National Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE).
France has 2.4 million unemployed, or 16,000 people less over the quarter, between the end of March 2021 and the end of June 2021. Over one year, the unemployment rate, measured according to standards of the International Labor Office (ILO), is up 0.8 points but is “Almost identical (- 0.1 point) to its level at the end of 2019, before the health crisis”, underlines INSEE.
Over the quarter, the unemployment rate fell for 15-24 year olds (- 0.8 point) and 25-49 year olds (- 0.2 point) and increased by 0.4 point for those 50 and over. Compared to its pre-crisis level (end of 2019), it is lower for young people (- 1.4 points) but equivalent for people of middle age (- 0.1 point) and seniors (+ 0 , 1 point).
Long-term unemployment also almost stable
Regarding the “Halo around unemployment”, or unemployed people who want one but who do not meet the other ILO criteria to be considered unemployed, the same stability is observed: this situation concerns two million people, i.e. 4.9% of 15-64 year olds , as in the previous quarter.
This share is 0.2 points higher than its pre-crisis level, but well below (-2.1 points) its peak in the second quarter of 2020, which was the main counterpart to a temporary decline and ” trompe l’oeil “ unemployment during the first confinement, according to INSEE. During the first confinement, people were able to switch to inactivity, for lack of being able to carry out active job searches under the usual conditions.
The long-term unemployment rate is also almost stable: it concerns 0.7 million unemployed and stands at 2.4% of the working population (- 0.1 point over the quarter), after having jumped from 0 , 4 point in the previous quarter; it is thus 0.2 points above its pre-crisis level. This quasi-stability conceals marked differences according to age: – 0.7 point for 15-24 year olds, – 0.2 point for 25-49 year olds and + 0.1 point for 50 years and over.