ILO Measure of Unemployment
The International Labour Organization (ILO) measure of unemployment assesses the number of jobless people who want to work, are available to work and are actively seeking employment. It is used internationally so comparisons can be made between countries. It also enables consistent comparisons over time. The ILO measure is calculated using data from surveys of a country's labour force; it can therefore be subject to sampling differences between one country and another. It differs from the claimant count unemployment measure, which only includes people claiming unemployment-related welfare benefits. The ILO measure gives a higher figure than the claimant count measure as it includes those who are classified as available for work but who are not claiming jobless benefits. The ILO measure may include students who are actively seeking work but may not qualify for jobless benefits. Similarly, second earners within a household may be reluctant to claim jobless benefits but would be classified as unemployed under the ILO measure as they are available for work.