New Statec data shows that in February the unemployment rate rose from 5.6% to 5.7%, according to the national statistics bureau, with 16,642 people out of work. A net total of 493 people were removed from the dole queue from February 2017 to February 2018.

The majority of jobseekers were aged 45 and above (43%), a number which grew by 1.3% over the year. The under 30s group recorded an 8.7% drop in jobseekers compared to a year before the number of jobseekers aged 30 to 44 also fell by 4.1%.

When it came to qualifications and training, the number of jobseekers with higher education rose sharply (6.2%) and was the only group to grow jobseeker numbers since February 2017.

Job offers

By the end of February 2018, 3,121 new jobs were posted at unemployment office Adem, bringing the total vacancy numbers to 6,443. Eight out of ten new jobs posted were for fixed term or open-ended contracts while one in ten were temporary jobs. Among the most sought-after profiles among new postings were IT developers, accountants, front office financial staff, kitchen staff and builders.