Figures published on Tuesday by Luxembourg’s public data gathering body, Statec, will come as little surprise in the context of the economic crisis that the pandemic triggered.

Data shows there were 19,476 jobseekers registered with job agency Adem in February 2021, including 2,115 recent registrations from residents. The number dropped by 406 from January 2021, but nevertheless it meant there were 2,824 jobseekers joining the dole queue in Luxembourg compared to a year earlier.

Statec wrote:

“The increase in unemployment is primarily due to a decrease in exits to employment rather than an increase in enrollment. The number of resident jobseekers receiving full unemployment compensation increased by 1,811 or 21.8% year-over-year to 10,128. The number of those receiving an [unemployment] measure stood at 4,176, and was slightly below the level observed in February 2020 (-41 persons, or -1.0%).”

While the number of new vacancies posted by employers, 3,014 in February 2021, was 13.6% fewer than a year earlier, it has risen compared to three months earlier, following a growth trend. Of the new positions, 80% were CDD (open-ended) or CDI (fixed or short-term) contracts, 14.4% were temporary roles and 5.6% were special job reinsertion positions. In total, there were 7,397 positions on file at the end of February, 800 more than in January 2021. The ten most-sought-after roles were IT, accounting, construction, secretarial, financial analysis or engineering, credit analysis or bank risk, financial sector front office, building electrics and teaching of young children.