Jobseekers. Photo: PAP

Preliminary figures released by the Labour Ministry have shown a growth in the unemployment rate by almost one percentage point in January to stand at 13.1 percent at the month’s end.

The figure is 0.8 of a percentage point up from December, and is due to seasonal jobs coming to a close at the end of the year, Deputy Labour Minister, Czeslawa Ostrowska explains.

The growth in unemployment is also due to the heightened number of people finishing temporary job contracts, which are usually terminated at the year’s end.

According to Ostrowska, the unemployment rate should stand between 10 and 11 percent by the end of 2011. Business representatives are also voicing hopes that employment figures should grow from March.

At the end of January the total of unemployed stood at 2,111,600 people, a rise of 156,900 on December 2010. (jb)

Source: IAR