The jobless rate covers unemployment among those aged between 15 and 74. In absolute terms, there were 173,100 unemployed in Hungary in June-August, 6,900 more than in May-July, but 22,300 less than in the corresponding period a year earlier.
In June–August 2018, compared to a year before, the jobless rate among men aged 15–74 fell 0.3 of a percentage point to 3.4%. Among women, the rate fell by 0.7 of a percentage point to 4.1%.
Among people aged 15–24, the unemployment rate was 10.2%, down 1.2 percentage points year-on-year, with nearly one-fifth of the jobless belonging to this age group. The unemployment rate in the age group 25–54, i.e. persons belonging to the “best working age,” decreased by 0.3 of a percentage point to 3.4%, while the jobless rate among those aged 55–74 fell 0.8 of a percentage point to 2.6%.
The average duration of unemployment was 15.9 months; some 41.0% of jobless people had been searching for a job for one year or more, i.e. were classed as long-term unemployed.
At the end of August 2018, compared to a year earlier, administrative data of the National Employment Service (NFSz) show that the total number of registered job seekers decreased by 6.7% to 251,000.
In the period June–August 2018, the average number of employed people aged 15-74 was 4,483,600, some 39,200 or 0.9% more than a year earlier, according to separate employment figures also released by the KSH today. The employment rate was 60.3%, unchanged from the preceding three-month period, but up from 59.6% a year earlier.
The employment rate among Hungarians aged 15–64 – accounting for the overwhelming majority of the workforce – increased to 69.4%, up 0.8 of a percentage point.
The number of employed men aged 15–64 increased by 0.6%, while their employment rate rose by 0.8 of a percentage point to 76.5%. Among women aged 15–64, the number of employed grew by 0.4%, and their employment rate by 0.8 of a percentage point to 62.4%.
Among young people aged 15–24, the employment rate was 29.1%, down half a percentage point year-on-year. In the “best working age,” i.e. the 25–54 age group, the employment rate increased by 0.4 of a percentage point to 84.3%, while in the older, 55–64 age group, the employment rate grew by 1.9 percentage points to 54.2%.
The employment rate among people aged 20–64 – the coverage regarding the development of employment objectives defined in the Europe 2020 Strategy – grew by 0.8 of a percentage point to 74.5%. The European Union has targeted raising the average employment rate to 75% by 2020; in Hungary, the employment rate in this age group is currently 82.3% for men, and 66.9% for women.
The total number of Hungarians employed in June-August included 148,900 Hungarians in fostered work schemes and 104,900 working abroad. The number of those employed on the domestic primary labor market rose 2.2% from a year earlier, while the number of fostered workers dropped 21.9%. The number of those working abroad was down 7.9%.
Unemployment and employment data for the next three-month period of July–September 2018 will be published on October 30.
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