Figures published by job agency Adem found an additional 4,800 resident jobseekers joined the dole queue between April 2019 and 2020, bringing the number recorded to 20,253.

By April 2020 there were 3,218 non-resident jobseekers, 693 more than a year before, marking a 27.4% increase.

According to Statec, the national statistics bureau, Luxembourg’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.9% in April 2020, up from 6.1% in March 2020 and 5.4% in April 2019.

None of these figures included employees put on the country’s short-time working scheme. As of 28 April, more than 254,551 employees were enrolled in the programme. The government is expected to release an update on applications to the scheme on 23 May.

Security, construction & IT

The number of advertised vacancies declined 43.2% over the same period, with just 1,895 job postings with Adem in April. Of that number, 15% were temporary agency postings and 5.2% were job reinsertion programmes. Security and surveillance profiles were the most in demand, accounting for 261 postings. It is possible these new roles were created in the context of monitoring and enforcing coronavirus health measures in public places. Construction of buildings and roads accounted for 82 positions, followed by IT (71).