Unemployment highest in harbour area

A MaltaToday analysis of unemployment statistics presented in parliament reveals that unemployment is currently concentrated in the harbour area and in Gozo.

A calculation of registered unemployed in all localities as a percentage of the total Maltese population shows that Bormla has the highest rate at 5.7%.

Of the 10 localities with the highest rate of unemployment, eight are located in the harbour area or in its immediate vicinity, while two are located in Gozo. 

Seven Gozitan localities feature in the top 20 localities with the highest unemployment rate. 

The only northern or central localities to feature among the top 20 are Hamrun, Gzira and St Paul's Bay. All Cottonera localities feature in the top 20.

Compared to 2008, Gozo's Zebbug has ceded its top place in the jobless table to Bormla.

In absolute terms, Bormla registers the third highest number of unemployed after Birkirkara and St Paul's Bay despite, being the 30th most populous locality in Malta.  50% of Bormla's 296 unemployed are less than 35 years old.

In Bormla, unemployment rose by nearly two percentage points since 2008. On the other hand Xghajra - the locality with the greatest number of unemployed in 2003 - is down five places in the unemployment table.

Mdina, Lija and Iklin register the lowest unemployment rate. Back in 2008 the lowest unemployment rate was registered in Mdina, Attard and Swieqi.

Northern rural localities Mellieha and Mgarr also register an unemployment rate of less than 1%.

Similarly to 2004 and 2008, unemployment is lowest in middle class localities and rural northern localities.

Since 2008 the entire harbour area has seen a marginal increase in unemployment. In Valletta the number of unemployed has increased from 3.8% to 5.3%; in Marsa from 2.8% to 3.2%; and in Senglea from 3.2% to 4.2%.

Statistics show that Gozitans, who account for 7.5% of the population, represent 10% of the total number of registered unemployed. While 2.5% of Gozo's population is unemployed, the statistic for the entire country stands at 1.8%. Compared to 2008, unemployment in Gozo has decreased slightly from 706 in 2008, to 744 in 2013.

The statistics show that 51% of the unemployed are aged over 40.