For those interested in how the harmonized rate is defined across countries, the link below states it as: the unemployed are persons of working age who, in the

For those interested in how the harmonized rate is defined across countries, the link below states it as: the unemployed are persons of working age who, in the reference period: − are without work, − are available for work; and, − have taken specific steps to find work. More detail would probably be helpful, but the harmonized rate attempts to apply equally across countries. There may be methodological differences, but I doubt those differences would be stronger than the difference the author of TFA found. https://www.oecd.org/sdd/labour-stats/44743407.pdf https://www.oecd.org/sdd/labour-stats/44743407.pdf