December 2011 unemployed down by 19

The number of persons registering under Part 1 of the unemployment register decreased by 62 (1.0 per cent), while those registering under Part 2 increased by 43 (6.9 per cent).

There were 5,154 men and 1,433 women registering for work during the month under review.

Unemployment among men went down by 62, or 1.2 per cent, while female unemployment went up by 43, or 3.1 per cent. Unemployment declined across all age groups with the exception of those aged 45 and over.

When compared to December 2010, the number of persons registering for more than one year decreased by 108 to 2,278 (4.5 per cent). Persons with a disability registering under Part 1 of the unemployment register numbered 431.

The largest share of unemployed men were seeking occupations in services, sales and crafts, whereas women mostly sought clerical jobs.

Registered unemployment rate: August 2011

In August, the registered unemployment rate (excluding part-timers) stood at 4.1 per cent of the labour supply: 4.9 per cent for men and 2.7 per cent for women. This rate stood at 4.4 per cent among persons aged 45 and over, and 4.9 per cent for persons aged less than 25.

The unemployment rate of persons who had been registering for work for at least one year under Part 1 of the unemployment register stood at 1.5 per cent: 1.9 per cent for men and 0.7 per cent for women.