Employment and unemployment (Labour force survey) (employ)

National Reference Metadata in Single Integrated Metadata Structure (SIMS)

Compiling agency: Statistics Estonia

For any question on data and metadata, please contact: Eurostat user support

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1. Contact

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1.1. Contact organisation

Statistics Estonia

1.2. Contact organisation unit

Population and Social Statistics Department

1.5. Contact mail address

51 Tatari Str, 10134 Tallinn, Estonia

2. Metadata update

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2.1. Metadata last certified

9 December 2025

2.2. Metadata last posted

9 December 2025

2.3. Metadata last update

9 December 2025

3. Statistical presentation

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3.1. Data description

The EU Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS) is the largest European household sample survey. Its main statistical objective is to classify the population of working age (15 years and over) into three mutually exclusive and exhaustive groups: employed persons, unemployed persons, which together represent the ‘labour force’, and the people outside the labour force.

Abbreviation	Explanation
CV	Coefficient of variation (or relative standard error)
Y/N	Yes / No
H/P	Households/Persons
M?	Member State doesn’t know
NA	Not applicable/ Not relevant
UNA	Information unavailable
NR	Non-response: Member State doesn’t answer to Eurostat request for information. Blank is allowed only in boxes with comments
LFS	Labour Force Survey
NUTS	Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics or corresponding statistical regions in the EFTA and candidates countries

3.2. Classification system

Nomenclature of territorial units for statistics (NUTS)
Statistical classification of economic activities (NACE Rev. 2)
International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO 08)
International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 2011)
Classification of fields of education and training 2013
Classification of Ethnicities 2011
International Standard Codes for the Representation of the Names of Countries (ISO 3166)
Codes for the Representation of Names of Languages (ISO 639-2)

3.3. Coverage - sector

Geographical: Whole country.
Population groups: The target population comprises persons living in private households aged 15 and older with permanent residence in Estonia, i.e. the people who have lived or intend to live in Estonia for more than one year.

3.3.1. Coverage

Individuals living in private households in Estonia

3.3.2. Inclusion/exclusion criteria for members of the household

Persons included in the household are members of the household. A household may also consist of one member only.
When a person regularly lives in more than one dwelling, the dwelling where one spends the majority of the year is taken as one’s place of usual residence. It applies for example for persons with main and second homes, or for children alternating between two places of residence or for persons living outside the family home for an extended period of time for the purpose of work.

3.3.3. Questions relating to labour status are put to all persons aged

15-89

3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions

Economically passive / inactive population – persons who do not wish or are not able to work.

Employed – a person who during the reference period:

worked at least one hour and was paid as a wage earner, entrepreneur or freelancer;
worked without direct payment in a family enterprise or on his/her own farm;
participated in work-related training;
was temporarily absent from work due to holidays, illness, pregnancy and maternity leave or work-related training;
was on child care leave and received or had the right to receive work-related income or (parental) benefits or was to remain on child care leave presumably for less than three months;
was temporarily absent from work for other reasons and the presumable leave period was less than three months;
was a seasonal worker outside the work season if he/she continued to regularly fulfil work-related tasks or responsibilities (excl. legal or administrative responsibilities);
produced agricultural products, of which the main share was meant for sale or exchange.

Employment rate – the share of the employed in working-age population.

Household – a group of people who live in a common dwelling (at the same address) and share joint financial and/or food resources. Persons included in the household are members of the household. A household may also consist of one member only.

Inactive persons, or persons not included in the labour force – persons who belong to one of the following categories:

persons aged under 15 (in full years, as at the end of the survey week);
persons aged 89 and older (in full years, as at the end of the survey week);
persons aged 15–89 (in full years, as at the end of the survey week) who were neither employed nor unemployed, based on the definitions of employment and unemployment given in the previous points.

Labour force participation rate / activity rate – the share of the labour force (total number of the employed and unemployed) in working-age population.

Underemployed – a person who works part-time, but would like to work more and is available for additional work (within two weeks).

Unemployed – a person who fulfils the following three conditions:

is without work (does not work anywhere during the survey week and is not temporarily absent from work);
is currently (within two weeks) available for work if there was work;
is actively seeking work.

Unemployment rate – the share of the unemployed in the labour force.

3.4.1. Household concept

Shared dwelling and resources

3.4.2. Definition of household for the LFS

A household is a group of people who live in a common dwelling (at the same address) and share joint financial and/or food resources.

3.4.3. Population concept

Usual residence (12 months).

3.4.4. Specific population subgroups

Population concept	Specific population subgroups
Population concept	Primary/secondary students	Tertiary students	People working out of family home for an extended period for the purpose of work	People working away from family home but returning for weekends	Children alternating two places of residence
Usual residence (12 months)	Primary/secondary students and persons working away from family home during the week but returning to family home for weekends always have family home as usual residence.	Tertiary students can also consider their family home as their usual residence in case they benefit from the household income and are not usual resident of any other private household	Family home (if they share income and family ties are kept)	Family home	Children alternating two places of residence and spending an equal amount of time with both guardians/parents can also have the place of usual residence of the legal guardian who receives the child benefits (if applicable) or the place of residence of the legal guardian who contributes more towards the child-related costs

3.5. Statistical unit

The data collection shall be carried out in each Member State for a sample of observation units constituted by private households or by persons belonging to private households who have their usual residence in that Member State.

3.6. Statistical population

The statistical population shall consist of all persons having their usual residence in private households in each Member State.

3.7. Reference area

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

3.8. Coverage - Time

Data is available from 1989.

3.9. Base period

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

4. Unit of measure

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The LFS produces different indicators with different measures:

Numbers;
Percentages.

5. Reference Period

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Quarter.
Year.
Month.

6. Institutional Mandate

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6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements

EU level:

The EU-LFS is based on European legislation since 1973. The principal legal acts, currently in force, are the Regulation (EU) 2019/1700 establishing a common framework for European social statistics, the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/256 establishing a multiannual rolling planning, the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2181 regarding items common to several datasets, and the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2240 which specifies the implementation rules, technical items and contents of the EU-LFS.

National level:

Official Statistics Act.

6.2. Institutional Mandate - data sharing

Member States shall make available to the Commission (Eurostat) the data and metadata required under the Regulation 2019/2240 using the statistical data and metadata exchange standards specified by the Commission (Eurostat) and the Single Entry Point.

The Commission (Eurostat) shall, in cooperation with Member States, publish the aggregated data on the Commission (Eurostat) website, in a user‐friendly way, as soon as possible and within six months of the transmission deadline for annual and infra‐annual data collection.

Data sharing and exchange between international data producing agencies, for example, a Eurostat data collection or production that is in common with the OECD or the UN.

7. Confidentiality

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7.1. Confidentiality - policy

EU level:

Regulation (EU) No 557/2013 17 June 2013 as regards access to confidential data for scientific purposes and repealing Commission Regulation (EC) No 831/2002. It implements the Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on European Statistics, which sets criteria for confidentiality of data.

National level:

The dissemination of data collected for the purpose of producing official statistics is guided by the requirements provided for in § 32, § 34, § 35, § 38 of the Official Statistics Act.

7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment

Data is released after checking it does not reveal confidential data. Administrative identifiers, interconnecting statistical identifiers and any other identification data shall be removed (or they shall be modified to an extent where they cannot directly identify the unit to which they relate).

8. Release policy

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8.1. Release calendar

(1) the Member States shall transmit pre‐checked microdata without direct identifiers, according to the following two‐

step procedure:

during the first three years of implementation of this Regulation, as provided for in Article 11(4):
- for quarterly data: within ten weeks of the end of the reference period,
- for other data: by 31 March of the following year;
from the fourth year of implementation as follows:
- for quarterly data: within eight weeks of the end of the reference period,
- for other data regularly transmitted: by 15 March of the following year,
- for other data concerning ad‐hoc subjects: by 31 March of the following year.

Where those deadlines fall on a Saturday or Sunday, the effective deadline shall be the following Monday. The detailed topic income from work may be transmitted to the Commission (Eurostat) within fifteen months of the end of the reference period.

(2) The Member States shall transmit aggregated results for the compilation of monthly unemployment statistics within 25 days of the reference or calendar month, as appropriate. If the data are transmitted in accordance with the ILO definition, that deadline may be extended to 27 days.

National level:

Notifications about the dissemination of statistics are published in the release calendar, which is available on the website (see p 8.2). Every year on 1 October, the release times of the statistical database, news releases, main indicators by IMF SDDS and publications for the following year are announced in the release calendar (in the case of publications – the release month).

8.2. Release calendar access

National realease calendar access: https://www.stat.ee/en/calendar

8.3. Release policy - user access

European social statistics are provided on the basis of equal treatment of all types of users, such as policy‐ makers, public administrations, researchers, trade unions, students, civil society representatives including non‐ governmental organisations, and citizens, which can access statistics freely and easily through Commission (Eurostat) databases on its website and in its publications.

National release policy:

All users have been granted equal access to official statistics: dissemination dates of official statistics are announced in advance and no user category (incl. Eurostat, state authorities and mass media) is provided access to official statistics before other users. Official statistics are first published in the statistical database. If there is also a news release, it is published simultaneously with data in the statistical database. Official statistics are available on the website at 8:00 a.m. on the date announced in the release calendar.

9. Frequency of dissemination

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First release, quarterly (4x), yearly (1x), ad hoc module results (1x)

10. Accessibility and clarity

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10.1. Dissemination format - News release

Quarterly press releases are published.

10.2. Dissemination format - Publications

No regular publications.

10.3. Dissemination format - online database

Andmed Stat website.

10.3.1. Data tables - consultations

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

10.3.2. Web link to national methodological publication

Web link to online database: https://andmed.stat.ee/en/stat/sotsiaalelu__tooturg

10.3.3. Conditions of access to data

Aggregated data available to public

10.3.4. Accompanying information to data

Questionnaire, methodological explanations

10.3.5. Further assistance available to users

Further assistance available via phone or email

10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access

Access to microdata and anonymisation of microdata are regulated by Statistics Estonia’s procedure for dissemination of confidential data for scientific purposes: See the information.

10.4.1. Accessibility to LFS national microdata (Y/N)

10.4.2. Who is entitled to the access (researchers, firms, institutions)?

Research institutions

10.4.3. Conditions of access to data

Access to microdata and anonymisation of microdata are regulated by Statistics Estonia’s procedure for dissemination of confidential data for scientific purposes: Stat wesbite.

10.4.4. Accompanying information to data

Questionnaires, metadata on variables and classifications, data base description

10.4.5. Further assistance available to users

Further assistance available via phone and email.

10.5. Dissemination format - other

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

10.5.1. Metadata - consultations

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

10.6. Documentation on methodology

See below.

10.6.1. Metadata completeness - rate

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

10.6.2. References to methodological notes about the survey and its characteristics

10.7. Quality management - documentation

Links to Quality documentation: https://www.stat.ee/en/find-statistics/methodology-and-quality/esms-metadata/40013

11. Quality management

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11.1. Quality assurance

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

11.2. Quality management - assessment

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

12. Relevance

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12.1. Relevance - User Needs

The survey serves as a basis for the analysis of changes in the labour market, which is used mainly by different ministries, universities and research organisations. At the European Union level, the data are used to make comparisons between member states. The main representative of the public interest is the Ministry of Social Affairs. In addition to the Ministry of Social Affairs survey data are also used by Ministry of Education and Research, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, University of Tartu and Bank of Estonia.

12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

12.3. Completeness

The data are complete and correspond to the data composition requirements prescribed by the European Commission regulation on labour force survey statistics.

12.3.1. Data completeness - rate

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

12.3.2. NUTS level of detail

NUTS 3,4,5

12.3.2.1. Regional level of an individual record (person) in the national data set

NUTS 5 (rural municipality/town)

12.3.2.2. Lowest regional level of the results published by NSI

NUTS 4 (county)

12.3.2.3. Lowest regional level of the results delivered to researchers by NSI

NUTS 4 (county)

13. Accuracy

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13.1. Accuracy - overall

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

13.2. Sampling error

See below.

13.2.1. Sampling error - indicators

Coefficient of variation (CV), Standard Error (SE) and Confidence Interval (CI)

13.2.1.1. Coefficient of variation (CV) Annual estimates %

References to Annex File.

13.2.1.2. Coefficient of variation (CV) Annual estimates at NUTS-2 Level %

References to Annex File. No NUTS-2 level regions in Estonia.

13.2.1.3. Description of the assumption underlying the denominator for the calculation of the CV for the employment rate

The denominator of the employment rate is treated as a population figure without sample variance.

13.2.1.4. Reference on software used

R package srvyr.

13.2.1.5. Reference on method of estimation

Taylor expansion method.

13.3. Non-sampling error

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

13.3.1. Coverage error

References to Annex File.

13.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate

See in the 13.3.1. Coverage error section in Annex.

13.3.1.2. Common units - proportion

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

13.3.1.3. Misclassification errors – detection of mismatches of identifiers

See in the 13.3.1. Coverage error section in Annex.

13.3.1.4. Misclassification errors –description of the main misclassification problems encountered in collecting the data and the methods used to process misclassifications

References to Annex File.

13.3.2. Measurement error

See below.

13.3.2.1. Errors due to the media (questionnaire)

References to Annex File.

13.3.2.2. Main methods of reducing measurement errors

References to Annex File.

13.3.3. Non response error

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

13.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate

See below.

13.3.3.1.1. Methods used for adjustments for statistical unit non-response

References to Annex File.

13.3.3.1.2. Non-response rates. Annual averages (% of the theoretical yearly sample)

References to Annex File.

13.3.3.1.2.1. Non-response rates. Annual averages (% of the theoretical yearly sample) – NUTS-2 level

References to Annex File. No NUTS-2 level regions in Estonia.

13.3.3.1.3. Units who did not participate in the survey

References to Annex File.

13.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate

References to Annex File.

13.3.3.2.1. Item non-response (INR) in % * - Quarterly data (Compared to the variables defined by the Commission Regulation (EC) No 2019/2240)

References to Annex File.

13.3.3.2.2. Item non-response (INR) in % * - Annual data (Compared to the variables defined by the Commission Regulation (EC) No 2019/2240)

References to Annex File.

13.3.3.2.3. Item non-response for INCGROSS

References to Annex File.

13.3.4. Processing error

13.3.4.1. Editing and imputation process

References to Annex File.

13.3.4.2. Outliers treatment and other data editing procedures for INCGROSS

References to Annex File.

Data referrs to INCGROSS values for 2023.

13.3.5. Model assumption error

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

14. Timeliness and punctuality

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14.1. Timeliness

References to Annex File.

14.1.1. Time lag - first result

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

14.1.2. Time lag - final result

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

14.2. Punctuality

The data have been published at the time announced in the release calendar.

14.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

15. Coherence and comparability

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15.1. Comparability - geographical

The data are comparable with the data of other European Union countries.

15.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

15.1.2. Divergence of national concepts from European concepts

(European concept or National proxy concept used) List all concepts where any divergences can be found
Is there any divergence between the national and European concepts for the following characteristics?	(Y/N)	Give a description of difference and provide an assessment of the impact of the divergence on the statistics
Definition of resident population (*)	N	NA
Identification of the main job (*)	N	NA
Employment	N	NA
Unemployment	N	NA

15.2. Comparability - over time

Statistics Estonia conducted the first Labour Force Survey at the beginning of 1995 (ELFS 95). In 1997–1999, the survey was conducted in the 2nd quarter. Starting from the year 2000, the Labour Force Survey is a continuous survey providing quarterly and annual results.
In 2021, two new tables were added where previously published indicators (starting from 2018) have been recalculated using the new methodology and weights.
In the other tables, there is a break in the time series between 2020 and 2021. Starting from 2021, the published indicators have been compiled according to a new methodology.

15.2.1. Length of comparable time series

2021.

15.2.1.1. Length of time series

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

15.2.1.2. Length of comparable time series

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

15.2.2. Changes at CONCEPT level introduced during the reference year and affecting comparability with previous reference periods (including breaks in series)

References to Annex File.

15.2.3. Changes at MEASUREMENT level introduced during the reference year and affecting comparability with previous reference periods (including breaks in series)

References to Annex File.

15.3. Coherence - cross domain

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

15.3.1. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

15.3.2. Coherence - National Accounts

	Description of difference in concept	Description of difference in measurement	Give an assessment of the effects of the differences	Give references to description of differences
Total employment	The main differences between the employment definitions of Estonian LFS and ESA2010 are the following: according to ESA2010 conscripts are employees while in LFS they are out of scope; according to ESA2010 employment includes also non-residents (foreigners staying less than one year in Estonia) working for resident producer units while LFS does not include them; according to ESA2010 employment does not include residents who are working abroad or in the extra-territorial organisations in Estonia while LFS does; according to ESA2010 employment includes voluntary employees if their volunteer activities result in goods, e.g. the construction of a dwelling, church or other building, while LFS does not.	For using in National Accounts, the Estonian LFS data is adjusted as much as possible to ESA2010 definition i.e. conscripts are included to employment and residents who are working abroad or in the extra-territorial organisations are excluded from employment. This means that LFS data used by National Accounts deviate from the ESA2010 definitions only by not including the foreign workers and volunteers (these groups are not measured in Estonian LFS).	As the result of including conscripts and excluding residents who are working abroad or in the extra-territorial organisations the difference of total employment between LFS 2022 (700,0 thousands) and National Accounts (703,3 thousands) was 0,5% in 2023. The size of the groups not included (foreign workers and volunteers) in National Accounts employment is unknown.	Methodology of the LFS see https://www.stat.ee/en/find-statistics/methodology-and-quality/esms-metadata/40013
Total employment by NACE	See row "Total employment"	See row "Total employment"	See row "Total employment"	See row "Total employment"
Number of hours worked	See row "Total employment"	See row "Total employment"	See row "Total employment"	See row "Total employment"

15.3.3. Which is the use of LFS data for National Account Data?

Which is the use of LFS data for National Account Data?

Country uses LFS as the only source for employment in national accounts.

Country uses mainly LFS, but replacing it in a few industries (or labour status), on a case-by-case basis

Country doesn’t make use of LFS, or makes minimal use of it

Country combines sources for labour supply and demand giving precedence to labour supply sources (i.e. LFS)

Country combines sources for labour supply and demand not giving precedence to any labour side

Country combines sources for

labour supply and demand

giving precedence to labour

demand sources (i.e. employ-

ment registers and/or enterprise

surveys)

15.3.4. Coherence of LFS data with Business statistics data

Description of difference in concept

Description of difference in measurement

Give an assessment of the effects of the differences

Give references to description of differences

Total employment

The LFS data includes total employment (employees, employers, own-account workers, unpaid family workers). It is not relevant from the point of view of the survey whether the job is officially registered or not. All persons who worked at least one hour in the reference week are considered to have been employed. However, it is also possible to extract only employees from the LFS data.

The Business statistics data (wages statistics) includes all employees working under employment contract, service contract and Public Service Act.

The LFS is a sample survey. Data are collected from individuals.
In Business statistics (wages statistics) the statistical unit is an enterprise, institution or organisation. As of 2021, wages statistics is based on administrative data only.

LFS 2023 employees (annual average, thousands) - 622,1

Wages 2023 employees (annual average, thousands) - 604,1

Difference -2.9%

Total difference between LFS and wages statistics is significantly smaller than in previous years now the wages statistics employment is based on administrative data.

Methodology of the LFS see https://www.stat.ee/en/find-statistics/methodology-and-quality/esms-metadata/40013

Total employment by NACE

See row "Total employment"

	LFS	Wages	Difference, %
Total	622.1	604.1	-2.9
A	12.3	14.1	14.5
B-E	138.2	130.9	-5.3
F	46.7	44.4	-4.9
G-J	180.4	181.7	0.7
K-N	72.9	87.9	20.6
O-S	184.1	159.2	-13.5

See row "Total employment"

Number of hours worked

In the LFS hours usually worked (the typical length of a working week over a longer period of time) and hours actually worked (hours worked in the reference week) are collected. Data are published as weekly hours.
In the Business statistics hours actually worked werw collected. Data was published as annual hours.

15.3.5. Coherence of LFS data with registered unemployment

Description of difference in concept

Description of difference in measurement

Give references to description of differences

The Estonian LFS unemployment data includes persons aged 15–74 unemployed according to ILO definition.

The registered unemployment data of the Unemployment Insurance Fund includes persons aged 16 to pension age (in 2023: 64,5 years; starting from 2017, the pension age is gradually increasing, reaching 65 years of age by 2026) registered at the state employment offices.

The LFS data are collected by means of sample survey, i.e. data are collected from only a part of the population.
The registered unemployment data are collected by means of complete registration, i.e. each and every event (applying to the Unemployment Insurance Fund) in the society is registered.

Methodology of the LFS see https://www.stat.ee/en/find-statistics/methodology-and-quality/esms-metadata/40013

15.3.6. Assessment of the effect of differences of LFS unemployment and registered unemployment

Give an assessment of the effects of the differences
Overall effect	Men under 25 years	Men 25 years and over	Women under 25 years	Women 25 years and over	Regional distribution (NUTS-3)
UNA	UNA	UNA	UNA	UNA	UNA

15.3.7. Comparability and deviation for the INCGROSS

References to Annex File.

15.4. Coherence - internal

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

16. Cost and Burden

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See below.

16.1. Number of staff involved in the LFS in central and regional offices, excluding interviewers. Consider only staff directly employed by the NSI.

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

16.2. Duration of the interview by Final Sampling Unit

References to Annex File.

17. Data revision

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17.1. Data revision - policy

The data revision policy and notification of corrections are described in the section https://www.stat.ee/en/statistics-estonia/about-us/strategy/principles-dissemination-official-statistics of the website of Statistics Estonia.

17.1.1. Is the general data revision policy fully compliant with the ESS Code of Practice principles? (in particular see the 8th principle) (Y/N)

17.1.2. Is the country revision policy compliant with the ESS guidelines on revision policy for PEEIs? (ref. http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/3859598/5935517/KS-RA-13-016-EN.PDF)

17.2. Data revision - practice

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

17.2.1. Data revision - average size

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

18. Statistical processing

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18.1. Source data

Microdata from survey and administrative sources

18.1.1. Sampling design & Procedure frame

Sampling design (scheme; simple random sample, two stage stratified sample, etc.)

Base used for the sample (sampling frame)

Last update of the sampling frame (continuously updated or date of the last update)

Primary sampling unit (PSU)

Final sampling unit (FSU)

Date of sample selection

The sampling design is a stratified systematic sampling of individuals, whose households are included in the sample.

A list of 15 and older permanent residents of Estonia compiled based on the list of residents (statistical register of population).

15 June 2022 for the samples for I and II quarter 2022,

08 June 2023 for the samples for III and IV quarter 2023.

Individual (all household members are interviewed)Individual (all household members are interviewed)

Sampling takes place approximately 30 days before each quarter

18.1.2. Sampling design & Procedure method

First (and intermediate) stage sampling method	Final stage sampling method	Stratification (variable used)	Number of strata (if strata change quarterly, refer to Q4).	Rotation scheme (2-2-2, 5, 6, etc.)
NA	The sample is selected by systematic stratified sampling of individuals. All persons aged 15 years and older belonging into household of selected individual are interviewed.	The 15 counties of Estonia and Tallinn are divided into four strata according to the population size (I – Tallinn, II – four bigger counties, III – ten smaller counties, IV – Hiiu county) and different inclusion probabilities are used in stratas, the highest being for Hiiu county.	4	Every sampled household is interviewed four times; during two consecutive quarters and after a two-quarter period they are again interviewed twice in the corresponding quarters of the following year. According to such a 2-(2)-2 rotation plan every quarter 25% of the households are participating in the survey for the first time. 50% of the households were also interviewed in the preceding quarter and 50% were interviewed in the same quarter of the previous year (including 25% of the households interviewed in the previous quarter and also in the same quarter of the previous year).

18.1.3. Yearly sample size & Sampling rate

References to Annex File.

18.1.4. Quarterly sample size & Sampling rate

References to Annex File.

18.1.5. Use of subsamples to survey structural variables (wave approach)

Only for countries using a subsample for yearly variables
Wave(s) for the subsample	Are the 30 totals for ILO labour status (employment, unemployment and inactivity) by sex (males and females) and age groups (15-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55+) between the annual average of quarterly estimates and the yearly estimates from the subsample all consistent? (Ref.: Commission Reg. 2019/2240) (Y/N)	If not please list deviations	List of yearly variables for which the wave approach is used (Ref.: Commission Reg. 2019/2240, Annex I)
NA	NA	NA	NA

18.2. Frequency of data collection

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

18.3. Data collection

Data collection methods: brief description	Use of dependent interviewing (Y/N)?	In case of Computer Assisted Methods adoption for data collection, could you please indicate which software is used?
Data collection methods are CAWI (Computer-assisted web interviewing) and CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing). CATI interviews are conducted by interviewers of the Interviewers Network Department of Statistics Estonia. The interviewing is normally done during the week immediately following the reference week but never later than during two weeks following the reference week.	N	VVIS

18.3.1. Final sampling unit collected by interviewing technique (%)

References to Annex File.

18.3.2. Info from registers

Are any LFS data collected from registers (Y/N)?

If Yes, please indicate which

registers.

Population Eegister, Tax Register, Information System on Education

18.3.3. Description of data collection and reference period for INCGROSS

References to Annex File.

18.3.4. Description of percentiles and bands used for INCGROSS

References to Annex File.

18.4. Data validation

Member States shall transmit to the Commission (Eurostat) quarterly and annual datasets with pre-checked microdata that comply with validation rules according to the specification of variables for their coding and filter conditions set out in Annex I of the Regulation 2019/2240. Member States and the Commission shall agree on additional validation rules that shall be fulfilled as a condition for transmitted data to be accepted.

Arithmetic and qualitative controls are used in the validation process, including comparison with other data. Before data dissemination, the internal coherence of the data is checked.

18.5. Data compilation

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

18.5.1. Imputation - rate

References to Annex File.

18.5.1.1. Editing and imputation process for INCGROSS

References to Annex File.

18.5.2. Brief description of the method of calculating the quarterly core weights

Brief description of the method of calculating the quarterly core weights

Is the sample population in private households expanded to the reference population in private households? (Y/N)

If No, please explain which population is used as reference population

Gender is used in weighting (Y/N)

Which age groups are used in the weighting (e.g., 0-14, 15-19, ..., 70-74, 75+)?

Which regional breakdown is used in the weighting (e.g. NUTS 3)?

Other weighting dimensions

The weights are formed in a sequence of steps. A weight resulting from the previous step is multiplied by the correction factor calculated at the current step. The correction factors are scaled in such a way that their sample average is unity at each step. As a result, the final weight is a product of the initial weight and correction factors.
As a stratified sampling is used on the first step of sample formation, first the initial weight that is inversely proportional to the inclusion probability in each strata is calculated.

For non-response adjustment the non-response correction factors are computed. The response homogenity groups of reasonably uniform size of sampled households are formed on the basis of the place of residence of the household according to the non-response rate in the region. Within each group the correction factor is inversely proportional to the overall response rate in the region.

In the next step the weights are calibrated so that they produce exact population numbers in certain subgroups known from demographic data (excluding institutional population). For working age persons the subgroups by sex, age (5-year age groups), the place of residence (urban/rural area, 15 counties (LAU) and the capital city), nationality (Estonian/non-Estonian) and educational level (primary/secondary/tertiary) are considered. For this purpose the linear consistent weighting method is applied. For non-working age persons the non-response adjusted household weights are calibrated by sex and 5-year age groups.

The sample population aged 15+ (excluding institutional households) is expanded to the total population aged 15+ (excluding institutional households).

The population aged 0-14 (excluding institutional households) is expanded to the total population aged 0-14 (excluding institutional households).

5-year groups: 0-4, 5-9, 10-14, 15-19, … , 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, 85+

LAU

Urban/rural area, nationality (Estonian/non-Estonian), educational level (primary/seconday/tertiary)

18.5.3. Brief description of the method of calculating the yearly weights (please indicate if subsampling is applied to survey yearly variables)

Brief description of the method of calculating the yearly weights (please indicate if subsampling is applied to survey yearly variables)	Gender is used in weighting (Y/N)	Which age groups are used in the weighting (e.g., 0-14, 15-19, ..., 70-74, 75+)?	Which regional breakdown is used in the weighting (e.g. NUTS3)?	Other weighting dimensions
Yearly weights are calculated by dividing the quarterly weights by 4.	NA	NA	NA	NA

18.5.4. Brief description of the method of calculating the weights for households

Brief description of the method of calculating the weights for households	Any external reference for number of households etc.?	Which factors at household level are used in the weighting (number of households, household size, household composition, etc.)	Which factors at individual level are used in the weighting (gender, age, regional breakdown etc.)?	Are the household weights identical for all household members? (Y/N)
See core weights.	See core weights.	See core weights.	See core weights.	Y

18.6. Adjustment

Not requested for the LFS quality report.

18.6.1. Seasonal adjustment

Do you apply any seasonal adjustment to the LFS Series? (Y/N)	If Yes, is your adopted methodology compliant with the ESS guidelines on seasonal adjustment? (ref. ESS guidelines on seasonal adjustment - Products Manuals and Guidelines - Eurostat (europa.eu) (Y/N)	If Yes, are you compliant with the Eurostat/ECB recommendation on Jdemetra+ as software for conducting seasonal adjustment of official statistics. (ref) (Y/N)	If Not, please provide a description of the used methods and tools
N	NA	NA	No adjustment procedures

19. Comment

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Annexes

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LFS_SIMS_A_2023_EE_annex_v2.1 [LFS_QR_Multiple+1.0_upd]