Jobless figure falls by 660

The jobless figure for March stood at 7,033, a decline of 660 persons when compared to the same month last year, the National Statistics Office said yesterday.

The most sought after occupations for men in March related to elementary duties, services and trades, while women tended to seek jobs which were clerical or service-oriented.

The unemployment rate for last November stood at five per cent.

The long-term unemployment rate, referring to people who have been registering for work for more than 12 months, stood at 1.8 per cent that month.

The unemployment rate among older workers (45 and over) was 3.9 per cent while the unemployment rate among young people (under 25) stood at 7.6 per cent.