Description The main objective of the Labour Force Survey (LFS) is to distribute the population aged 15 years and over into three main categories, regarding their labour status, the employed, the unemployed and the persons outside the labour force (inactive). It gives detailed information on employment, and unemployment, by economic activity, occupation, hours worked, highest educational level and other demographic characteristics of the population. More specifically, it examines the relationship between the highest educational level and employment or unemployment and other different characteristics such as sex, age, citizenship, occupation, economic activity etc.
Method A sample survey which is conducted with the use of personal interviews (CAPI) and telephone interviews (CATI) in households with the use of computers.
The households, that are randomly selected, remain in the sample of the survey for 6 quarters (6 waves). In the first wave, the enumerator personally visits the household and informs the tenants about the survey. The data are collected either at that time with a personal interview, or in the following days (after arranging an appointment) through a personal or telephone interview. For the remaining 5 waves the interviews are conducted via telephone.
The reference period is the reference week, which is the week prior to the interview week.
Data Coverage The LFS covers a sample of households in all districts of Cyprus (Government controlled areas), which are allocated according to the number of households that reside in urban and rural areas. For comparability of the results, in all member states, the survey covers the population of private households only. It does not cover persons residing in collective households, conscripts on compulsory military service, as well as students who study abroad and workers who work abroad.
Frequency The LFS is conducted quarterly, on a continuous basis.
Data Availability The results of the LFS are updated on the online database on CYSTAT's web Portal, in the form of time-series and are announcenced with a relevant Press Release. Available data in the form of predefined tables and indicators exist for the years 1999-2020, while reports (publications) are available for the years 1999-2013.
Data are also available on EUROSTAT's website.
Comparability Over Time The data are comparable over time.
Principal Variables Employment and unemployment by economic activity, occupation, age, sex, citizenship, highest educational level. Employment by full/part-time distinction, hours of work. Unemployment by duration and newcomers in the labour market.
Classification Systems (a) Economic activity: Statistical Codes of Economic Activities 2008 (NACE Rev. 2) - Results disseminated at the 1-digit level.
(b) Occupation: International Standard Classification of Occupations, 2008 (ISCO-08) - Results disseminated at the 1-digit level.
(c) Educational Level: International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED-P, 2011) - Results disseminated in the following groupings: Basic Education, Secondary Education, Tertiary Education.
Legal Framework Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The regulation came into force as from 2021.
The previous relevant regulation was Council Regulation (EC) No 577/98 on the organisation of a labour force sample survey in the Community.