Young women were most affected by rising unemployment last year, according to Labour Force Survey results released yesterday.

Women earned an average salary of €13,905 in 2012 while men earned €16,515

The unemployment rate among 15 to 24-year-old females rose to 17.7 per cent from 10.3 per cent between the third quarters of 2011 and 2012, according to the survey published by the National Statistics Office.

But the rate for 15 to 24-year-old males fell to 12.1 per cent from 13.8 per cent in the same period.

The youth unemployment rate was 14.7 per cent between July and September 2012, up from 12.3 per cent in the third quarter of 2011.

Overall, unemployment across the adult population was 6.6 per cent between July and September 2012, according to the survey.

This was a slight increase from 6.2 per cent in the same period in 2011.

Female unemployment increased overall to 8.6 per cent from 6.7 per cent in this period, while male unemployment fell to 5.4 per cent from 5.9 per cent.

The average gross annual salary (excluding overtime, allowances and bonuses) in the third quarter of 2012 was €15,513, up from €15,036 year-on-year.

Women earned an average gross annual salary of €13,905 in 2012 while men earned €16,515 on average.

Youth unemployment in Malta was still well below the EU average of 23.7 per cent, according to the latest Eurostat figures for November 2012, which were also published yesterday.

Eurostat, the EU’s statistic office, listed Malta’s unemployment rate for under-25s at 16.4 per cent in November 2012, up from 13.7 per cent in November 2011.

The country’s overall unemployment rate rose to 6.9 per cent from 6.5 per cent between November 2011 and 2012, according to Eurostat.

The EU average in November was 10.7 per cent and the eurozone average was an all-time high of 11.8 per cent.