The lack of up to date and comprehensive labour market data is a key constraint in the development of an employment policy, active labour market policies and social protection policies. In response to the need, the Tonga Statistics Department (TDS) and the Ministry of Trade and Economic Development (MTED) will be carrying out a Tonga Labour Force Survey (LFS) 2023 under the financial assistance of the Government of Tonga and the technical support of the International Labour Organization (ILO) together with SPC. This will be the second time Tonga conducts the Labour Force Survey with a sample size of this survey is 2484 households and with a total of 62 field personnel.The 2023 LFS aims to collect more detailed information on the state of the labour market and its development such as the size of the working population, the number of the unemployed and the unemployment rate, the characteristics of people in the labour market, those joining it and those leaving it; it also provides data on the structure of employment by type of economic activity and occupation, data on the employment of women or young people. The 2023 LFS provides additional insight on the activity history of youth from the end of their education process to the time they reach a satisfactory or regular job.
The data collected will be used to produce indicators in order to serve the statistical information requirements of policymakers in formulating and evaluating policies and socioeconomic programs as well as the information requirements of decision-makers and researchers in the wider national and international communities.