Footnotes

Time series from the Icelandic Labour Force Survey from 2003 were updated on March 10th 2021 using new weights and a new estimate for the population. Activity rate is the ratio of the labour force to the total population. Unemployment is the ratio of the unemployed to all persons in the labour force. The Labour force is considered to consist of employed and unemployed persons. Working hours are the total hours the respondent worked in the main and second job during the reference week. Employed. Persons are classified as working if they worked one hour or more in the reference week or were absent from the work they usually carry out. Individuals on birth leave are considered absent from work if they went on leave from a paid job, even if they have no intentions of returning to the same job. Percentage of full-time position. A person is accounted as employed full-time if he or she usually works 35 or more hours per week, but as employed part-time if he or she usually works 1-34 hours per week. Unemployment. Persons are classified as unemployed who have no employment and satisfy one of the following criteria: 1. Have been seeking work for the previous four weeks and are ready to start working within two weeks from when the survey is conducted. 2. Have found a job which will begin within three months but could start working within two weeks. (Until 2002 the criterion was that it sufficed for the job to start within four weeks without it being investigated whether the person involved could begin within two weeks.). 3. Await being called to work and are able to start working within two weeks. 4. Have given up seeking work but wish to work and could start working within two weeks.