Compared to the first quarter of 2017 –when the percentage of people out of work was 13.5% – the number of jobless fell by 10,952 to 46,468, Cystat said in a statement on its website on Friday. The number of unemployed people rose in the first quarter by 3,355 compared to October to December.

The unemployment rates announced by Eurostat for January, February, and March were 9.9%, 9.4%, and 9% respectively, or a three-month average of 9.4%.

The total labour force in the first quarter was 432,566, up from 423,794 the previous year, and 427,264 in the last three months of 2017, Cystat said.

The unemployment rate among youths was 25.7%, up from 22.9% the previous quarter but lower than the 26.7% in the first three months of 2017, Cystat said.

The unemployment rate among men was 10.3% in the first three months of 2018 and 11.2% among women, Cystat said.

Source: Cyprus Mail