International Labor Comparisons

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) collects and publishes statistical information to compare labor conditions and developments in the United States and selected foreign economies. All of the measures are based on data from the statistical agencies of the foreign economies covered or from international organizations. The Bureau does not initiate surveys or data collection programs abroad. The statistical concepts and methods used in different countries are developed primarily to meet domestic rather than international needs. When there are substantial conceptual differences, BLS adjusts the data to improve comparability or describes the differences so users will not draw misleading conclusions. In adjusting data for greater comparability, BLS must depend on the availability of relevant information, and in some instances it is necessary to make estimates based on incomplete data. Therefore it is possible to achieve only approximate statistical comparability among countries.