The number of people working full-time increased by 3.4 per cent, reaching 168,288 in February, when compared to the same time last year, according to the National Statistics Office

In the month under review two sectors contributed mostly to the increase in employment – the public administration and defence, compulsory social security sector and the administrative and support service activities sector.

These increases were partly counteracted by drops in employment, which were registered mostly within the construction sector.

Full-time employment within the private sector increased by 2.9 per cent, while that within the public sector increased by 4.3 per cent.

The number of people registered as full-time self-employed rose by 353 when compared with February last year, while the number of people registered as employees increased by 4,770.

Male and female full-time employment went up by 2.1 per cent and 5.4 per cent, respectively. Registered part-time employment for February went up by 5.3 per cent compared to last year, reaching 57,780. In February, the number of part-timers who also held a full-time job amounted to 24,337, up by 4.6 per cent.