In April 2015, registered full-time employment increased by 4.3 per cent when compared to the corresponding month of the previous year, the National Statistics Office said today.

Administrative data provided by the ETC show that over a period of one year, the labour supply (excluding part-timers) increased by 3.1 per cent, reaching 174,408. This was mainly attributed to an increase in the full-time gainfully occupied population (7,037) and a drop in registered unemployment (1,723).

In April, administrative and support service activities contributed mostly to the increase in employment, compared to April 2014.

Registered full-time employment in the private sector went up by 6,608 persons to 124,770. Public sector full-time employment increased by 429 persons to 44,070.

The number of persons registered as full-time self-employed rose by 581 when compared to April 2014, while the number of persons registered as employees increased by 6,456. Full-time employment for males and females went up by 3.4 per cent and 6.1 per cent respectively over 2014 levels.

In a statement the government said employment rate was three times the rate under the previous administration.

It noted that the number of full-time employed had risen to 168,840 by the end of April. This meant that full-time employment increased by 13,450 during the first 26 months of the legislature. During the entire previous legislature, full-time employment increased by 11,250.

The numbers for the current legislature amounted to 17 new jobs a day. The government also noted that during the period under review some 10,900 found full-time employment in the private sector.