Unemployment dropped by 637 in October to reach 6,696 when compared to the same month last year, the NSO said today.
It said there were 6,013 registered unemployed in Malta and 683 in Gozo.
However the number of unemployed increased by 41 between September and October. This change, the NSO said, was mainly attributable to a rise in the number of women registering for work.
The NSO said that 5,281 men were registering for work, with the majority aged 45 and over. Among women, the number of registered unemployed during October 2010 amounted to 1,415.
Year on year, the number of persons registering for work for less than 20 weeks dropped by 8.0 per cent and persons who had been registering for work for 21-52 weeks decreased by 22.5 per cent.
The majority of men sought occupations related to services, sales and crafts whereas women sought clerical and service-oriented occupations.