Persons in employment, February 2023

Key statistics:

• 0.2% more persons in employment on a monthly basis;
• 1.3% more persons in employment in construction compared to January;
• 14.1% of the persons in employment (excluding farmers) are foreign citizens.

Number of persons in employment up monthly and annually

In February, the number of persons in employment increased by just under 2,200 or 0.2% over the previous month (to around 928,900), and by 1.8% on an annual basis. At the monthly level, both the number of persons in paid employment and self-employed persons went up: the former by 0.2% (to around 829,900) and the latter by 0.3% (to just under 99,000). Compared to the previous February, the numbers increased by 1.7% and 2.4%, respectively. 

At the monthly level, the number of persons in employment increased for both genders: the number of men in employment to around 510,800 (or by 0.2%) and the number of women in employment to around 418,100 (or by 0.3%). At the annual level, the number of men in employment went up by 1.8% and the number of women in employment by 1.7%.

The largest increase in the number of persons in employment in construction

The number of persons in employment increased in most activities compared with January, except in manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, real estate activities, and electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply. The largest increase was recorded in construction, up by 1.3% (or just under 1,000 persons, to around 74,700). This is almost half of the monthly increase in the number of persons in employment. At the annual level, the number of persons in employment in construction went up by 6.1%.

At the monthly level, the largest decrease in the number of persons in employment was recorded in manufacturing, down by 0.1% (by around 140 persons, to approximately 211,500). Compared to the previous February, the number of persons in employment in manufacturing went up by 1.1%.

An increasing number of foreign citizens in employment

At the monthly level, the number of foreign citizens in employment (excluding farmers) increased by 1.0% (or by around 1,300, to just over 128,000), representing 14.1% of total persons in employment (excluding farmers). The number increased the most in construction, by around 800 or by 2.3%. Among foreign citizens in employment in February 2023, there were around 17,600 foreign citizens of EU Member States (or 13.7% of foreign citizens in employment) and around 110,400 foreign citizens of other countries (or 86.3% of foreign citizens in employment). In February, 76.8% of foreign citizens in employment were men (around 98,200 persons) and 23.2% were women (around 29,800 persons). Foreign men in employment were most represented in construction (35.3% of foreign men in employment, or around 34,700 persons), while foreign women in employment were most represented in manufacturing (29.3% of foreign women in employment, or around 8,700 persons).

A review of the data by year shows that the share of foreign citizens in employment (excluding farmers) is increasing. Between 2010 and 2022, the share of foreign citizens in employment increased by 7.1 percentage points (from around 56,600, to approximately 130,300 persons). In 2010, every 14th person in employment was a foreign citizen, and in 2022 every 7th. In 2010, 7.5% of foreign citizens in employment were from EU Member States, while 92.5% were citizens of other countries. In 2022, 13.6% of foreign citizens in employment were from EU Member States, while 86.4% were citizens of other countries. The change in the share of foreign citizens in employment from EU Member States is partly due to the accession of Croatia in 2013 and the exit of the United Kingdom in 2020.

Tables with the latest data are available in the SiStat Database.