Czech unemployment grows by 0.5 pts to 9.1 pct in Jan

Analysts expected the unemployment rate to rise to 9.2 percent in January.

Employment offices registered 517,723 job seekers ready to start work immediately at end-January, a growth of 25,765 compared with end-December. But compared with the end of January last year the number dropped by 37,410.

A month-on-month growth in unemployment was registered in all 77 districts.

The ministry recorded the fastest growth in unemployment of 12.7 percent in the Prachatice district in southern Bohemia.

Unemployment was the highest in the Jesenik district in northern Moravia where it reached 17.8 percent. In contrast, the lowest jobless rate of 3.4 percent was recorded in Prague-East.

There were 34,471 vacancies available at end-January, a drop of 1,313 compared with December, but a growth of 3,078 compared with January 2011.

A total of 12,639 vacancies were newly opened during January and 13,952 vacancies were filled or cancelled.

There were 15.5 applicants per a vacancy on average. The number of applicants per a vacancy was the highest in the Trebic district in southern Moravia where it reached 60.1.

From the total number of registered vacancies, 2,434 were suitable for handicapped people. There were also 4,971 registered vacancies for school leavers and young people between 15 and 18 years of age.

"Based on the monitoring of vacancies on the Internet, further 17,957 vacancies were offered on the labour market after adjustment for duplications," the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry said.

A total of 50,073 job seekers left employment offices' files in January, which was 11,872 more than in December and 7,139 fewer than in January last year. Almost 32,200 of them found a job and started to work in the monitored month.

Employment offices registered 256,372 unemployed women at end January who accounted for 48 percent of the total number of unemployed people.

A total of 62,958 handicapped people were in employment offices' files in January, accounting for 11.8 percent of the total number of job seekers.

Unemployment benefits were received by 117,567 people in January, that is 22 percent of all registered job seekers.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz