Published on: 29 March 2017

Unemployment rate decreased to 4.4% in December 2016–February 2017

In December 2016–February 2017, the number of unemployed people was 203 thousand, 73 thousand fewer than a year earlier, and the unemployment rate decreased by 1.7 percentage points to 4.4%. The rate of improvement was higher for women, as a result of which, the level of unemployment was lower among women than among men.

In December 2016–February 2017, compared to a year before:

The number of 15–74 year-old unemployed men decreased by 37 thousand to 111 thousand, and their unemployment rate by 1.6 percentage points to 4.5%. The number of unemployed women declined by 36 thousand to 91 thousand, and their unemployment rate by 1.8 percentage points to 4.4%.

The unemployment rate of the 15–24 age group decreased by 3.2 percentage points to 11.1%, but almost one-fifth of unemployed still belonged to this age group. The unemployment rate of those aged 25–54, i.e. persons belonging to the ‘best working age’ decreased by 1.6 percentage points to 3.9%, and the rate for persons aged 55–64 fell by 1.4 percentage points to 4.2%.

The average duration of unemployment was 17.8 months; 47.2% of unemployed people had been searching for a job for one year or more, i.e. were long-term unemployed.

At the end of February 2017, compared to a year earlier:

According to the administrative data of the National Employment Service (http://eu.munka.hu/), the total number of registered jobseekers decreased by 19.1% to 297 thousand.

Unemployment among 15–64 year-olds by age groups, December 2016–February 2017

Age group, year-old Number Unemployment rate
thousand persons change, thousand personsa) % change, percentage pointa)
15–2437.6–9.811.1–3.2
25–54135.1–54.23.9–1.6
55–6429.5–8.24.2–1.4
Total202.2–72.24.5–1.7

a) Compared to the same period of the previous year.