For the first quarter of 2007, the Labour Force Survey showed that there was a statistically significant change in average employment, while unemployment levels did not change in a statistically significant manner compared to the same period in 2006, according to National Statistics Office

figures.

The Labour Force Survey is an enquiry that is carried out using a random sample of 3,200 private households per quarter. The criteria used for this survey are on the same lines as international methodologies used by the ILO, as further explained in the methodological notes.

All data contained within this release refers to people aged 15 and over.

Labour Status

The number employed out of all those aged 15 and over reached 153,689, which is a statistically significant change over the same period in 2006.

The total number of those unemployed stood at 11,216, while a further 162,806 people were inactive.

In the period January to March 2007, out of every 100 people between the ages of 15 and 64, 59.2 per cent were either working or unemployed (activity rate). With regard to the rate of people in employment for the first quarter of 2007, out of every 100 between the ages of 15 and 64, 55.1 were working. The employment rate for males was 74.5 per cent while that of females stood at 35.5 per cent. For people in the 15 to 24 age bracket, the employment rate was estimated to be 45 per cent.

The employed population

Labour Force Survey results indicate that the age category with the largest proportion of workers was the 25 to 34 year group, with 26.3 per cent of the total employed population.

For the first quarter of 2007, the manufacturing and the wholesale and retail trade sector each garnered 16.5 per cent of the total number of people in employment. Among employed males, 17.9 per cent were engaged in the manufacturing sector while the majority of females were estimated to be engaged in the education sector.

Self employed people accounted for 13.9 per cent of the total employed population, while 86.1 per cent were employees.

For the first quarter of 2007, the number of people working full-time amounted to 137,642. Out of every 100 people employed full-time, 73 were male and 27 were females.

The unemployed population

For the first three months of 2007, the total number of those unemployed was estimated to be 11,216, which indicates no significant change during the survey period when compared to 2006 estimates.

Out of every 100 people in the labour force, 6.8 were unemployed.

Among the total number of unemployed in 2007, 48.8 per cent had been looking for employment for over a year, whilst a further 38.5 per cent had been looking for a job for less than five months.