📰 Baltic Labour Markets Shift in Q3

🇱🇻 Latvia

In Q3, Latvia’s employment rate reached 65.2%, with 892,100 people employed, according to the Central Statistical Bureau. Unemployment stood at 6.9%, up 0.2 percentage points from the previous quarter. Youth unemployment dropped sharply to 12.1%, while the number of long-term unemployed rose to 26,200, making up nearly 40% of all unemployed persons. Youth employment increased to 34.1%.

🇪🇪 Estonia

Estonia recorded a 7.1% unemployment rate and a 69.7% employment rate in Q3, according to Statistics Estonia. The number of unemployed fell to 54,200 – 5,000 fewer than in Q2 and 2,100 fewer year-on-year. Youth unemployment decreased, while unemployment among the 50–74 age group rose slightly. Employment growth was strongest in Southern, Western and Central Estonia and Harju county outside Tallinn, while Tallinn and Ida-Viru county posted declines.

🇱🇹 Lithuania

Lithuania reported 8.2% registered unemployment as of 1 November, with 149,800 jobseekers – the lowest number in 17 months. Flows into employment weakened in October, and vacancies declined by 10.8% month-on-month, particularly for low-skilled roles. Youth registered unemployment fell to 6.8%, while the 50+ group reached 9.6%. Despite these labour-market frictions, Lithuania continues to see a steady inflow of migrant workers and new work-permit holders, creating an unusual combination of rising structural unemployment in several regions and ongoing foreign labour demand.

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