The full-time gainfully occupied population in November totalled 144,265, down by 1,564 when compared to the same month last year and up by 171 over the previous month.

The National Statistics Office said that according to Employment and Training Corporation records, the number of registered unemployed increased by 988, with a resulting drop of 576 in the labour supply with respect to 2008.

In this way, the labour supply amounted to 151,853, while the registered unemployed totalled 7,588.

The net decrease of 1,564 gainfully-occupied persons over the 12-month period to November was attributed to a drop of 2,083 men and an increase of 519 women.

From October to November, the labour supply increased by 426 or 0.3 per cent. The fulltime gainfully occupied population increased by 171 persons or 0.1 per cent, while the registered unemployed increased by 255 or 3.5 per cent.

Year-on-year, the full-time gainfully occupied population in the public sector decreased by 309, or 0.8 per cent, while that in the private sector decreased by 1,255, or 1.2 per cent.

In the 12 months to November, full-time employment decreased by 1,535, or 1.1 per cent, in Malta and by 29, or 0.3 per cent, in Gozo.

In the 12 months to November, the main economic activities which registered the growth in fulltime employment were real estate, renting and business activities; other community, social and personal service activities; and education.

Accordingly, the sector of real estate, renting and business activities increased its employment by 574 or 4.1 per cent. On its part, other community, social and personal service activities gained 394 people, or 5.3 per cent. The education sector reported an increase of 293, or 2.3 per cent.

The number of gainfully occupied fell in manufacturing; hotels and restaurants; and construction. Manufacturing declined by 1,467, or 6.6 per cent, hotels and restaurants dropped by 673, or 6.7 per cent, and the construction sector by 635 persons, or 4.9 per cent.

In the 12 months to November, part-time employment rose by 2,569 or 5.4 per cent. The number of part-timers who also hold a full-time job increased by 1,289, while those having a part-time job as their primary occupation went up by 1,280.

From October to November, part-time employment increased by 72, or 0.1 per cent.

Part timers who also hold a full-time job increased by 44, those who had a part-time job as their primary occupation by 28.