1 Sri Lanka Quarterly Labour Force Survey

Household surveys before 1990 Labour Force and Socio Economic Survey (LFSES) 1980/811985/86 After 5 years /70 After11 years After 5 years Sri Lanka Quarterly Labour Force Survey(LFS) Household Income & Expenditure Survey (HIES) Socio Economic Survey (SES)

Quarterly labour force survey was started in 1990 and continued until today. Each year the survey conducts in 12 monthly rounds and results produce at quarterly and annually. Survey covers whole country and the annual sample size is around 25,000 housing units, Objectives are to provide information on economically active, economically inactive & labour force of the country. employment, unemployment, underemployment, informal sector employment & literacy Sri Lanka Quarterly Labour Force Survey

Quality of data is assured  Trained permanent staff is engaged in survey activities.  Statistical officers/statistical assistants  Quality improvement methods are used at data coding,entry and editing  Double data entry for data validation  Manual editing and computer editing (range, consistency and structural)  Unique guidelines for data cleaning  Use Standard code lists (SLSIC-Rev.4, SSCO-08)  Frequent supervision  Head office  District office  Current survey concepts and methods are very similar to those introduced at the beginning in Changes were done to enhance the quality of data and international comparability.

The unemployment rate is stagnant around 4% during period. For more information Please visit

Figure 02 : Unemployment rate for different age groups by gender - Second quarter 2013

Figure 03 : Unemployment rate for different level of education by gender - Second quarter 2013