3.8% increase in full-time employment in December

Administrative data provided by the ETC show that over a period of one year, the labour supply (excluding part-timers) increased by 3.0 per cent, reaching 171,730. This was mainly attributed to an increase in the full-time gainfully occupied population (6,115) and a drop in registered unemployment (1,114).

In December 2014, administrative and support service activities (NACE 77-82) and professional, scientific and technical activities (NACE 69-75) contributed mostly to the increase in employment, compared to December 2013. Registered full-time employment in the private sector went up by 4,137 persons to 121,044. Public sector full- time employment increased by 1,978 persons to 44,399.

The number of persons registered as full-time self-employed rose by 442 when compared to December 2013, while the number of persons registered as employees increased by 5,673. Full-time employment for males and females went up by 2.9 per cent and 5.5 per cent respectively over 2013 levels