Statistical article

The National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) has published the findings of the Labour Force Survey (LFS) for the third quarter (Q3) of 2024. Data collection was conducted in August 2024 through a household-based survey that provides key statistics into Rwanda’s labor market mainly on labour force participation, employment, unemployment, and underutilization.

Key Findings:

• The working-age population (16 years and above) in Rwanda was approximately 8.3 million, with 5.3 million people actively participating in the labour force. The labor force participation rate increased to 64.1%, reflecting a rise of 4.3 percentage points compared to August 2023.
• The employment-to-population ratio (EPR), which measures the extent to which the economy provides income-generating jobs to the working-age population, increased to 54.3%, up from 49% in the same quarter of the previous year. However, a significant gender gap remains with male employment at 64.3% compared to 45.4% for females.
• The unemployment rate decreased to 15.3%, down by 2.7 percentage points from the third quarter of 2023. However, it remained higher among females (18.5%) and youth (18.8%) compared to males (12.5%) and adults (12.6%).
• Employment in the service sector continues to grow, accounting for 45.4% of the total employed population in quarter 3, 2024. The corresponding share in the same quarter of the year 2023 was 41%. In contrast, employment in market-oriented agriculture decreased to 32.6% in Q3, 2024 from 37.4% in the same quarter of the previous year.
• Despite progress in employment, labour underutilization remains a challenge, with an overall rate of 58%. This highlights issues like time-related underemployment and the potential labor force still need to be addressed.

Survey Design and Methodology:

The Quarterly labour force survey uses a two-stage stratified sampling design, selecting 552 census enumeration areas, and a total of 6,624 households across the country and employs a 2-2-2 rotational scheme to ensure comparability of quarterly estimates. The Survey is designed to adhere to international standards on Statistics of Work, employment and labour underutilization.

Key Technical definitions:

• Employment: Includes all persons aged 16 and above who worked for pay or profit for at least one hour during the reference week (last 7 days).
• Unemployment: Refers to persons not working but actively seeking and available for work during the reference period.
• Potential Labour Force: Persons who were available to work but either did not seek employment or sought it but were not available for work during the reference period.
• Time-Related Underemployment: Employed individuals working less than 35 hours per week but who are willing and available to work additional hours.
• Labour Underutilization: A composite measure that includes unemployment, time-related underemployment, and the potential labor force, reflecting unmet labour market needs.

Methode Tuyisenge

Economic Statistics Specialist