Increases in gainfully occupied and unemployed persons

The National Statistics Office (NSO) says both full-time gainfully occupied and registered unemployed increased in the 12 months leading to March.

The NSO said that according to administrative data provided by the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) over a period of one year, persons with a full-time job increased by 2,453, or 1.7%.

On their part, the registered unemployed went up by 304 to 6,966. Consequently, the labour supply rose by 2,757 persons, or 1.8% over the corresponding month last year.

In the month under review, the health and social work sector and the arts, entertainment and recreation sector registered the main increases in full-time employment.

On the other hand, the number of persons employed in construction and manufacturing decreased when compared to March 2011. Persons engaged in the private sector increased by 2,261 or 2.1%, while the public sector added 192 persons, or 0.5%.

Women employed on a full-time basis increased by 2,211 or 4.5%, while the number of men edged up by 242, or 0.2%. The increase in female employment was mainly recorded in health and social work and education while the rise in male employment was primarily registered in transportation and storage and the arts, entertainment and recreation sector.

When compared to the previous year, part-time employment in March 2012 increased by 3,014, or 6.0%. Persons whose part-time job was their primary occupation increased by 2,057, or 7.3%, while persons who had a full-time job in addition to their part-time job increased by 957, or 4.3%.

Women having a part-time job went up by 1,717, while men with a part-time job increased by 1,297. Much of the increase in part-time employment took place in the accommodation and food service sector, followed by wholesale and retail trade activities.