Unemployment down by 0.7% from last year

Unemployment in Malta in September stood at 5.8% in September 2014, government attributes it to incentives such as free childcare, breakfast clubs, and tax reductions

Unemployment in Malta in September stood at 5.8%, down from the 6.5% registered in September 2013, Eurostat statistics show. This means that Malta has the fifth lowest registered unemployment rate in Europe, behind Denmark, Germany, Austria, and Iceland.

Youth employment (under 25s) also decreased, from 12.9% in September 2013 to 12.2% in September 2014. This means that Malta also has the fifth lowest registered youth unemployment in Europe, behind Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, and Iceland. Therefore, around 11,000 Maltese people are unemployed, 3,000 of which are youth.

“The basis of these figures is that more women have started working,” the Ministry for Education and Employment said in a statement. “Compared with last year, the unemployment rate amongst women decreased from 6.2% to 5.6%.”

“This is the fruit of a number of measures such as free childcare, breakfast clubs, tax reductions, and other fiscal incentives,” the Ministry said. “The measures by themselves help more women to improve their skills, to continue studying and to find work. Thanks to these pro-family measures, the government is making life easier and more flexible for those who want to work.”
The unemployment rate within the euro zone decreased from 12% in September 2013 to 11.5% in September 2014. The EU28 unemployment rate within the EU28 countries decreased from 10.8% in September 2013 to 10.1% in September 2014.  

Greece and Spain are the European countries worst hit by unemployment. Greece’s unemployment rate stood at 26.4% in June 2014 while Spain’s stood at 24% in September 2014.