In the last quarter of 2023, 1.61 million employed, survey unemployment 5.9 percent

In Croatia, in the fourth quarter of last year, there were 1.61 million employed, with 102 thousand unemployed, resulting in a survey unemployment rate of 5.9 percent, according to data from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (DZS) from the labor force survey.

A comparison of unemployment data obtained from the labor force survey with data from the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ) and other statistical monitoring based on administrative sources shows that in the fourth quarter of 2023, the unemployment rate according to administrative records (6.4 percent) was higher than the survey unemployment rate (5.9 percent).

During this period, the average number of unemployed according to the labor force survey was 11 thousand lower than the data from HZZ.

Since the surveyed individuals reported their registration with employment services, the comparison of data shows that of the total 102 thousand unemployed according to the labor force survey, 74 thousand or 72.9 percent were registered with the employment service, 26.7 percent of the surveyed unemployed were not interested in registering with the employment service, while the remaining 0.3 percent did not answer the question about registration.

At the same time, of the total 113 thousand registered with the Croatian Employment Service, 39 thousand or 34.2 percent did not meet international unemployment criteria.

Data from the survey also show that in the fourth quarter of 2023, there were 3.256 million working-age residents (aged 15 and over) in Croatia, of which 1.61 million were employed, 102 thousand unemployed, and 1.53 million inactive.

Among the inactive population, there are 62 thousand who want to work but are not looking for a job, and 1.12 million are not working due to age, illness, schooling, etc.

In the ‘other’ category, there are 361 thousand inactive persons aged 75 and over who, according to the methodology, are not asked in detail about the reasons for inactivity.