Q1/2015 Labour status Labour Force Survey estimates indicate that, during the first quarter, total employment stood at 181,537 accounting for more than half the population aged 15 and over.

Unemployed persons stood at 11,012 (3.1 per cent) while inactive persons totalled 166,360 (46.3 per cent). The activity rate for the quarter under review was estimated at 66.1 per cent. The highest activity rate was recorded among persons aged 25-54 (79.6 per cent).

When compared to the previous year, the total activity rate increased by 0.4 percentage points.

On average, out of every 100 persons aged 15 to 64, 62 were employed. The highest employment rate was recorded among persons aged between 25 and 54 and stood at 75.7 per cent. The males’ employment rate for this age bracket was 89.8 per cent compared to 60.9 per cent for their female counterparts.

Employed men were mostly engaged in wholesale and retail trade, transportation and storage, accommodation and food service activities (30.7 per cent). On the other hand, at 38.2 per cent, employed women were mostly engaged in public administration, defence, education, human health and social work activities. Self-employed persons accounted for 14.0 per cent of the total employed population.

The majority of employed persons worked on a full-time basis and totalled 153,419. An estimated 23,702 (13.1 per cent) had a part-time job as their primary employment. A further 4,416 were working on a full-time with reduced hours basis. The average annual basic salary of employees for the first quarter of 2015 was estimated at €16,329. This amount refers to the annual basic salary and excludes extra payments such as overtime, bonuses and allowances, as explained in the methodological notes.

The highest average annual basic salary for employees was recorded in the information and communication activities sector. Average annual salaries by occupation varied from €27,572 among managers to €10,872 among elementary staff. The unemployed population Survey results estimate that the unemployment rate for the first quarter of 2015, stood at 5.7 per cent. The largest share of unemployed persons was recorded among persons aged 25 and over. Among the unemployed, 48.3 per cent stated that they had been seeking work for at least 12 months.

Government welcomes growth in employment rates

The latest Labour Force Survey was welcomed by the government, which noted that the country had achieved the highest labour participation rate - 62.3% - in its history.

It highlighted that salaries had increased by 2.6% over a year at a time when inflation was just 0.3%, noting that this translated to a 2.3% increase in real terms. It noted that during the last year of the previous government, salaries had nominally increased by 1.9%, but inflation was 2.4%.

The government emphasised that the young benefited the most from the increase in job, but highlighted that unemployment fell across all age groups. The 5.7% unemployment rate, it said, was the lowest ever recorded since Eurostat started compiling statistics for Malta some 15 years ago.