Of those registered as unemployed, 28 percent are persons with reduced capacity for work, the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund (EUIF) said.

A total of 6,486 new job offers were added in May to those available via the EUIF, marking the greatest monthly number of additions since 2003. An increase in the number of job offers occuring in spring is typical. At the same time, the increase accelerated last year already and the number of job offers added in the first five months of 2017 was greater by 12 percent than during the same period last year.

The EUIF had a total of 13,357 jobs on offer in May. The greatest number of jobs on offer were for service and sales personnel, accounting for 23 percent of offers, with skilled worker and craftsmen positions making up 22 and unskilled worker positions 21 percent of the jobs on offer.

The rate of registered unemployment remained highest in Ida-Viru County and the lowest in Harju County. Unskilled workers accounted for the largest portion of the registered unemployed who had previously worked, ahead of skilled workers and craftsmen as well as service and sales personnel at 17 percent.

In May, 4,770 people, including 851 persons with limited capacity for work, found employment or started businesses with the hel of the EUIF.

Recipients of the unemployment insurance benefit totaled 10,434 in May, making up 29 percent of the registered unemployed. The average benefit per calendar month was €434, with a total of more than €3.8 million being disbursed. The basic unemployment allowance of €151 per month was paid to 7,498 people, 21 percent of the total number of registered unemployed.

Layoff benefits were paid to 457 people in May, with the average benefit awarded totaling €1,660. The total paid out in layoff benefits was more than €732,000.

The benefit in case of insolvency of the employer was awarded to 143 people, with the average size of the benefit totaling €2,201 and overall more than €151,000 being disbursed under that item.