Unemployment level at 6.4% at end-2018

RIGA - The registered unemployment level at the end of December was 6.4 percent of the economically active population, which was by 0.2 percentage points more than the previous month but 0.4 percentage points less when compared to the end of 2017, LETA was told at the State Employment Agency.

At the end of December 2018, the number of people registered with the agency as officially unemployed was 59,588, which was 2,133 more than the previous month but 3,533 less when compared to the end of 2017.

The lowest unemployment rate was recorded in Riga Region where 4.2 percent of the working-age population were out of work. The highest unemployment rate was recorded in Latgale where joblessness declined 1.1 percentage points year-on-year in December to 14.7 percent.

In other provinces of Latvia joblessness also and was 6.2 percent in Zemgale (6.5 percent at end 2017), 6.4 percent in Vidzeme (7.5 percent) and 7.5 percent in Kurzeme (7.7 percent).

In Riga, the unemployment rate fell 0.1 percent from end-2017 and was 3.9 percent at the end of 2018.

At the end of 2017, Latvia’s registered unemployment rate stood at 6.8 percent.