Unemployment Rate Soaring ... Some Facts and Figures

The unemployment rate in August 2003 stood at 5.5 per cent, compared to 5.1 per cent in August 2002, recent figures issued by the National Statistics Office revealed.

And figures issued by the Employment and Training Corporation show that there were 8,277 people registering for work in November. They consisted of 6,544 males and 1,733 females and represented an increase of 411 over November 2002. Both employers and unions have been quite vociferous about the high rise in unemployment, which is probably the direct result of the slowdown in the local and worldwide economies.

In December 1997, the total number of people claiming they were unemployed stood at 7,693. Of these, 6,475 were males while the rest were females. On the same month the following year, there were 7,910 people registering as unemployed while in 1999, the number continued to climb to 8,306.

In the year 2000, the number of unemployed people dropped by over 1,100 people to 7,188. Of these, 6,142 were males while the rest - i.e. 1,046 - were females. Since then, the number of unemployed continued to increase but did not reach the 1999 figure. In 2001, the number of unemployed people as of December stood at 7,433 while the following year, this figure increased slightly to 7,516.

The average unemployment rate in July 2003 stood at 5.4 per cent of the labour supply. This figure translates into 5.9 per cent for men and 4.1 per cent for women.

With only a few months left for Malta to officially become a member of the European Union, several local organisations have expressed their concern about the rate of unemployment in Malta, especially amongst youths.

Interesting to note is that while the unemployment level is increasing, the employment level is on the increase. Latest figures available from the Employment and Training Corporation for September 2003 indicate an increase in 84 people in the labour supply in comparison to the same month the previous year. However, when comparing the full-time gainfully occupied population for this month to the same month the previous year, one would see a decrease of 338. Figures show that there were 136,602 full-time gainfully occupied persons in September 2003.

When analysing statistics for August 2003 in more detail, one immediately notices that the largest number of people on the unemployment list are in the 30 to 44 age bracket. In this age bracket, the total number of males and females registering for work reached the 2,429 mark. This age bracket is followed by those over 45 years of age with a total of 1,948 people registering for work. A total of 1,172 people on the unemployment list are between 20 and 24 years old, followed by 976 who are under 20 years of age and finally 881 who are between 25 and 29 years old.

A closer look at the sexes reveals that the largest number of males registering on the unemployment list is between 30 and 44 years of age. The same cannot be said for the females, because the largest number of females registering for unemployment falls in the age bracket of those who are below the age of 20 - four years after the official school-leaving age.

Figures for September showed that the private direct production sector decreased its employment by 1,126 in comparison with September 2002. On the other hand, the private market services sector (including wholesale and retail, banking, insurance, transport and communications as well as hotels and catering) increased its labour force by 1,511 people in comparison with the same month the previous year. The total number of people working in this sector stood at 50,059 people, of which 33,264 were males and 16,795 were females. The majority of people employed in this sector worked in the wholesale and retail sub-sectors with a total of 15,861 employees.

In September 2003, the public sector (including government departments and government entities, the Armed Forces of Malta and other independent bodies) decreased its labour force by 660 people and now stands at 46,992 people. Of these, 33,335 were males and 13,657 were females. 30,069 of the 46,992 working in the public sector worked in government departments. These were divided in 19,703 males and 10,366 females.

In the same month under review - September 2003 - there were 7,942 people registering for work with the Employment and Training Corporation. This reflected an increase of 422 people registering on unemployment registers in this month when compared to the same month the previous year. The unemployment rate for September 2003 stood at 5.5 per cent, unchanged from the preceding month in 2003.

Gozo

According to recent news, unemployment in Gozo rose by 22 per cent in the year up to November 2003.

Figures issued by the ETC show that there were 606 people registering for employment in Gozo in November last year, an increase of 110 over the previous year. These figures also showed that the number of unemployed Gozitans under 30 years of age now made up 55 per cent of the jobless. This figure rose from 29 per cent.

Meanwhile, in August, the Law Compliance Unit of the Employment and Training Corporation carried out a number of raids in Gozo. Here they visited 97 establishments, mostly restaurants and hotels, and found a total of 536 people working there.

Following interviews, it transpired that 235 were working but had not informed the Employment and Training Corporation of their job, 10 were working although they were registering for work with the Corporation and, interestingly, four were children under the legal working age.

As a result, the Employment and Training Corporation has introduced a new service - free phone 80076501 - for those wanting to file a report with the Corporation on people who are registering for employment but are working, underage working people and other similar offences.

CSB Recruitment Agency has been supporting the local business community with its services since 1987. For further information you can write to us at 185D, Old Bakery Street, Valletta VLT 04, call us on 2123 2224-5, fax: 2123 2226, email: jobs@vacancycentre.com