December unemployment up to 5.3 percent
As of the end of December, the number of registered unemployed in Estonia totaled 34,475, accounting for 5.3 percent of the total workforce from age 16 to retirement age. The unemployment rate increased 0.6 percentage points on year.
Compared with November 2019, the unemployment rate had increased by 0.2 percentage points.
A total of 5,190 newly unemployed persons were registered in December, up from 4,884 on year but down from 6,390 in November 2019, it appears from figures published by the Unemployment Insurance Fund (Töötukassa).
As of the end of December, the unemployment rate was highest in Ida-Viru County at 9.9 percent, followed by Valga County at 8 percent, Põlva County at 6.6 percent and Võru County with 6.4 percent.
The lowest unemployment rates, meanwhile, were registered in Hiiu County at 3 percent, Saare County at 4.1 percent, and Jõgeva and Viljandi Counties at 4.3 percent each.
Of the registered unemployed, 10,300 people, or 29.9 percent, were persons with reduced capacity for work.
Last month, the total number of job offers available through Töötukassa was 5,431. As of the end of the month, the total number of positions yet to be filled stood at 2,313.
Statistics on registered unemployment reflect the number of unemployed persons who have registered as jobless with Töötukassa.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla
