Perspectives on unemployment matching in Finland

The study examines the factors affecting the duration and recurrence of unemployment in Finland.

Merely examining the unemployment rate is not sufficient — it is important to distinguish whether a group’s high unemployment is due to a large inflow or to long duration, as labour market policy measures differ in these two cases. Recurrent unemployment can also indicate serious labour market problems, even if individual spells are short.

The study analyses econometrically the factors affecting the duration and recurrence of unemployment using Statistics Finland’s individual panel data (1984–1987). Particular attention is paid to how the unemployed are selected into unemployment security systems and how unemployment ends — in employment or in withdrawal from the labour market — as different factors affect each of these outcomes.

The study fills a clear gap, as previous Finnish research knowledge on these questions has been limited, while at the same time the extent of recurrent unemployment has begun to come to light through registration. (AI translation)

• ISSN: 0358-5980
• ISBN: 951-9282-58-0