Unemployment up by more than 2,000 in August – NSO

In August, the number of persons registering for work stood at 3,672, increasing by 2,027 when compared to the corresponding month in 2019, the NSO said.

Data provided by Jobsplus for August 2020 indicate a year-on-year increase of 1,849 persons registering under Part I and an additional 178 persons registering under Part II of the unemployment register. Registered unemployment levels increased across all age groups.

Those registering for work for less than 21 weeks and those registering between 21 and 52 weeks, increased when compared to August 2019 levels. The largest increase was recorded among persons who had been registering for less than 21 weeks.

On the other hand, those who had been registering for work for more than one year, decreased when compared to the same month in 2019. The number of persons with a disability who were registering for work increased by 34 when compared to the previous year, reaching 261. Males accounted for 71.3 per cent of total registrants with a disability. The largest share of males and females on the unemployment register sought occupations as clerical support workers, with 21.0 per cent and 35.8 per cent respectively.