Malta registers 3.4% unemployment rate in December

Malta’s unemployment rate stood at 3.4% in December, a 0.2% decrease over the previous year, figures out today show.

Eurostat placed Malta's unemployment rate as the sixth lowest in the EU, at par with Hungary's.

Youth unemployment (under 25) in Malta stood at 10.5% in December, up 0.8% over the previous year.

Over all male unemployment stood at 3.4% in December, while female unemployment registered 3.5%.

Both males and females registered lower unemployment over the previous year.

Among the member states, the lowest unemployment rates in December were recorded in Czechia (2.0%) as well as in Germany and the Netherlands (both 3.2%). The highest unemployment rates were observed in Greece (16.6% in October 2019) and Spain (13.7%).

Unemployment rates fell in 21 member states, and remained stable in Denmark.

Cyprus (from 7.4% to 7.6%), Slovenia (from 4.4% to 4.6%), Lithuania (from 5.8% to 6.1%), Portugal (from 6.6% to 6.9%), Luxembourg (from 5.2% to 5.6%) and Sweden (from 6.5% to 6.9%), all registered an increase in unemployment.

The largest decreases were registered in Greece (from 18.5% to 16.6% between October 2018 and October 2019), Bulgaria (from 4.7% to 3.7%) and Croatia (from 7.3% to 6.4%).

In December, 3.155 million young people were unemployed, with 2.213 million of whom coming from the euro area.

Compared with December 2018, youth unemployment decreased by 143,000 in the EU and by 129,000 in the euro area.