Unemployment in Portugal: December 2022 was the best in the last 30 years
The number of unemployed registered at job centers dropped 11.8% in December year-on-year, to 307,005, the lowest figure in this month in the last 30 years, highlighted today the Ministry of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security.
When compared to December 2019, the pre-pandemic period, there was a reduction of 1.1% (-3,477 people), and between November and December 2022, there were 10,282 (+3.5%) more people unemployed, refers to guardianship based on figures from the Institute of Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP).
“The year 2022 was, in general, the best year in terms of registered unemployment, having marked, since March 2022, systematically lower values than the same values of 2019”, points out the ministry.
As he adds, “in terms of registered youth unemployment, 2022 was also, in general, the best year, with values systematically lower than the same figures for 2019, except in the months of January and June”.
468,064 job applications
According to the IEFP, the 307,005 unemployed registered with the Employment Services of the Mainland and Autonomous Regions in December 2022 represented 65.6% of a total of 468,064 job applications.
During the last month of 2022, register with employment services across the country 44,019 unemployeda number higher than that observed in the same month of 2021 (+4,545; +11.5%) and lower compared to November (-10,329; -19.0%).
According to the institute, “for the decrease in registered unemployment, compared to the same month of 2021, in absolute change, supplementary, with emphasis, the groups of individuals aged 25 years or over (-37,223), those looking for a new job (-37,976 ) and subscribers for 12 months or more (-49,351)”.
Young feeder unemployment the lowest level “since there is registration”
As for youth unemployment (people under 25 years old), and according to the guardianship, “in December 2022 it was the lowest, in that month, since it has been registered, a chain fall of -1.6% (-540 young people) and a fall of -10.3% compared to December 2021 (-3,731 young)”.
So, in december there were 32,426 young people unemployed, 0.5% below the value of december 2019 (-154 young people), youth unemployment representing 10.6% of registered unemployment, which compares with 11.0% recorded in the same month of 2021.
Unemployment suffered in all regions in December compared to 2021
At regional level, in the month of December, unemployment registered in the country, in year-on-year terms, supported in all regions, with emphasis on the autonomous region of Madeira (-31.0%) and for the region of Lisbon and Vale do Tejo (-14.8%).
In relation to the previous month, almost all regions (except Madeira, -0.3%) showed increases in unemployment, with the biggest variation in the Algarve (+22.0%).
Sectors with the biggest declines
At sectoral level, there were year-on-year declines in all economic activities, with the most verified variations, in descending order, in ‘leather and leather products industry’ (-23.1%), ‘manufacture of leather products’ petroleum, chemical, pharmaceutical, rubber and plastic products’ (-20.0%) and ‘paper, printing and reproduction industries’ (-18.9%).
In December, 121,723 unemployed people had been in this situation for over a year (long-term unemployment), 0.3% more than in November 2022 (+321 people), but below (-2.6%) the level observed in the same month of 2019 (-3,252 people) and December 2021 (-28.8%; -49,351).
Those registered less than a year ago totaled 185,282, chain increases of 5.7% (+9,961) and homologous increases of 4.7% (+8,397) were observed.
The professional groups most representative of the registered unemployed in the Mainland were in December ‘unprotected workers’ (27.0%), ‘workers in personal services, security protection and salespeople’ (20.4%), ‘administrative staff’ (11.4%) and ‘specialists in intellectual and scientific activities’ (10.4%).
11,431 offers per beer
As for job offers per passenger, at the end of December 2022 there were 11,431 in the employment services across the country, a number that corresponded to an annual decrease (-4,510; -28.3%) and compared to the previous month (- 4,503; -28.3%) of offers on file.
Job offers received in December totaled 6,786 across the country2,284 fewer than those received in the same month (-25.2%) and 1,975 less than those received in the previous month (-22.5%).
The economic activities with the greatest expression in job offers received throughout this month (in this case, the IEFP considers only data relating to the Mainland) were ‘real estate, administrative and support services activities’ (15.7%). ‘wholesale trade and aba’ (15.4%) and ‘public administration, education, health activities and social support’ (11.5%).
Placements made during the month of December
The placements carried out during the month of December totaled 5,506 nationwidea number lower than that seen in the same period of 2021 (-764; -12.2%) and the previous month (-886; -13.9%).
The analysis of job placements, by groups of professions (mainland data), shows a greater concentration in ‘workers in personal services, protection and security and salespeople’ (21.2%), in ‘unskilled workers’ (20, 7%), and ‘specialists in intellectual and scientific activities’ (12.9%).
Number of couples without unemployment has decreased
The number of couples with both elements unemployed fell by 10.6% in December 2022 in year-on-year terms, to 4,879, having risen 3.4% in a chain.
“Of the total unemployed married or in a de facto relationship, 9,758 (8%) also registered that their spouse is also registered as unemployed with the Employment Service, totaling 4,879 unemployed couples, in December 2022, which represents – 10.6%, when compared to the same period of the previous year”, says the IEFP.
Couples in this situation of double unemployment are entitled to a 10% increase in the amount of the unemployment benefitwhen you have dependents on a load.
According to the IEFP, at the end of December, 291,353 unemployed people were registered with the mainland’s employment services, of which 41.9% were married or living in a de facto relationship, Making a total of 122,036.
Regarding the total number of unemployed people who are married or in a de facto union, there is a decrease of 9.8% (-13,318 unemployed) compared to December 2021 and an increase of 3.9% (+4,459) compared to November 2022.