Unemployment fell in February to the second lowest level on record

The number of unemployed people registered at job centers fell 8.3% (-28,619) year-on-year in February to 315,645, the “second lowest figure ever” this month, the Department of Labor said on Monday. solidarity and welfare. .

In the chain from January to December, there was a decrease of 6,442 people, which is a decrease of 2.0%, refers to guardianship based on data from the Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP).

According to him, registered youth unemployment “was also the second lowest value that month, as there was a record, with a decrease of -4.5% (-1660 young people) compared to February 2022 and a chain decrease of -1. 5%. “.

“In February, 34,854 young people were unemployed, and the percentage of youth unemployment compared to total unemployment was 11%,” he clarifies.

According to the IEFP, the total number of unemployed registered in February with the employment offices of the mainland and autonomous regions was 315,645, accounting for 66.3% of the total job applications of 475,944.

In February, 120,873 unemployed (38.3% of the total) were in this position for more than a year (long-term unemployment), which is 2.4% less than in January (-2991 people) and 28.5% less than in February 2022 (- 48,150 people).

Less than a year enrollment was 194,772 (61.7% of the total), with a chain decline of 1.7% (-3,450) and a year-on-year increase of 11.1% (+19,531).

In February, the sub-sectors that contributed most to the decline in unemployment compared to January were “housing, catering and the like” (-5.4%) and “financial activities and insurance” (-4.8%).

During February, 41,952 unemployed people were registered in employment services across the country, which is higher than in the same month of 2022 (+5,150 +14.0%), and lower than in January (-13,889; -24, 9%).

According to the Institute, “on a decrease in registered unemployment compared to the same month of 2022 in absolute terms, groups aged 25 years and older (-26,959), looking for a new job (-26,320) and enrolled for 12 months or more (- 48 150)”.

At the regional level, in February, registered unemployment in the country decreased year on year in all regions except Alentejo (+7.3%), with a focus on the Autonomous Regions of Madeira (-32.1%), the Azores (-12.4% ), Algarve (-10.7%), Lisbon and Tagus Valley (-10.2%)

In relation to the previous month, all regions showed a decrease in the unemployment rate, with the largest change in the Algarve region (-9.5%).

At the sectoral level, compared to last year, there was a decrease in unemployment in all types of economic activity, with the exception of the “agricultural” sector and “production of other non-metallic mineral products.” The most significant changes, in descending order, were observed in “other services” (-17.3%), “tanning and leather products” (-15.7%) and “finance and insurance” (-14.8%).

The most representative occupational groups of registered unemployed on the mainland were “unskilled workers” (27.1%), “household, security and trade workers” (20.9%), “administrative personnel” (11.7%) and “specialists in the intellectual field.” and scientific activity” (10.0%).

In terms of unsatisfied job offers, at the end of February there were 13,937 people in employment services across the country, which corresponds to an annual decrease (-3,894; -22.5%) and an increase compared to the previous month (+1,073; +8 .7%) of the sentences in the file.

Job offers received in February were 9,979 nationwide, down 1,263 from the same month (-11.2%) and 994 from the previous month (-9.1%) .

The economic activities with the highest expression in job offers received during that month (in this case, the IEFP only considers data from the mainland) were “real estate, administrative and support services” (20.6%), “residential , catering and the like. (13.8%) and “wholesale and retail trade” (11.4%).

Placements made in February were 6,539 nationwide, higher than the same period in 2022 (+46; +0.7%) and lower than the previous month (-986; -13.1% ).

An analysis of employment by occupational groups (mainland data) shows a large concentration in “unskilled workers” (28.6%), “home service, safety and security and sales workers” (19.1%) and “skilled workers in industry, construction and masters” (11.8%).