MaltaMedia.com

At 7,852, registered unemployment in Febuary increased by 751 persons when compared to the corresponding month last year and by 94 over the previous month, the National Statistics Office reports.

In February, the number of registered unemployed stood at 7,852. Compared to the corresponding month in 2009, unemployment grew by 751 persons, or 10.6 per cent. Similarly, the number of registered unemployed increased by 94 persons, or 1.2 per cent, when compared to January.

In Malta, registered unemployed totalled 7,059 persons, whereas in Gozo the registered unemployed amounted to 793. In the twelve months to February 2010, both Malta and Gozo saw a rise in unemployment (743 persons in Malta and 8 in Gozo).

In September 2009, the registered unemployment rate stood at 4.9 per cent of the labour supply. On a gender basis, the unemployment rate for men stood at 5.6 per cent, while that calculated for women stood at 3.5 per cent.

The long-term unemployment rate, referring to people who have been registering for work for more than twelve months, stood at 1.6 per cent.

The unemployment rate among older workers (45 years of age and over) was 4.9 per cent while that among young people (under 25 years of age) stood at 5.9 per cent, NSO said.