MaltaMedia.com

Labour market data for October 2008 indicate that the full-time gainfully occupied population increased by 2,578 persons while unemployment decreased by 308 persons when compared to Octobter 2007, new NSO data reveals.

Labour supply in October increased by 2,270 persons over the corresponding month in 2007. In this way, the labour supply amounted to 151,729 persons. Of these, the full-time gainfully occupied population amounted to 145,378 persons, while the registered unemployed amounted to 6,351 persons.

The net increase of 2,578 gainfully-occupied persons over the twelve-month period to October 2008 was distributed into 2,100 women and 478 men. On a year-on-year basis, the full-time gainfully occupied population in the public sector decreased by 1,022 persons. On the other hand, the full-time gainfully occupied population in the private sector increased by 3,600 persons. In the twelve months to October 2008, full-time employment increased by 2,224 in Malta and by 354 in Gozo.

In the twelve months to October 2008, the economic activities which registered the main growth in fulltime employment were real estate, renting and business activities; other community, social and personal service activities; and wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles and personal and household goods.

Accordingly, the sector of real estate, renting and business activities increased its employment by 1,435 persons. On its part, the sector of other community, social and personal service activities gained 429 persons. Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles and personal and household goods reported an increase of 406 persons.

On the downside, the number of the gainfully occupied persons fell in manufacturing and electricity, gas and water supply. In fact, manufacturing dropped by 1,063 persons, while the sector of electricity, gas and water supply dropped by 140 persons.

On a year-on-year basis, the number of self-employed persons increased by 234 to reach 17,153. The two main economic activities in which self-employed persons operate were wholesale and retail trade and construction.

In the twelve months to October 2008, part-time employment rose by 2,309. Among part-timers who also hold a full-time job, there was an increase of 709 persons, while those having a part-time job as their primary occupation went up by 1,600 persons.