Published on: 2 January 2019

Unemployment rate decreased to 3.6%

In the period of September–November 2018, the average number of unemployed people was 169 thousand, 9 thousand fewer than a year earlier, and the unemployment rate decreased by 0.2 percentage point to 3.6%. Among men there was not any change, but indicators of women improved.

In September–November 2018, compared to a year before:

The number of the unemployed and the unemployment rate among 15–74 year-old men did not change, the former was 87 thousand, and the latter was 3.4%. However, regarding women the number of the unemployed declined by 10 thousand to 81 thousand, and the unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage point to 3.9%.

Among people aged 15–24, the unemployment essentially didn’t change, their number was 35 thousand, and their unemployment rate was 10.2%. More than one-fifth of the unemployed belonged to this age group. The unemployment rate of the age group 25–54, i.e. persons belonging to the ‘best working age’, was 3.2%, and that of people aged 55–74 was 2.5%. The changes remained within the limits of sampling error for both age groups.

The average duration of unemployment was 14.6 months; 38.5% of unemployed people had been searching for a job for one year or more, i.e. were long-term unemployed.

At the end of November 2018, compared to a year earlier:

According to the administrative data of the National Employment Service (https://nfsz.munka.hu/), the total number of registered jobseekers decreased by 5.5 % to 243.9 thousand.

Unemployment among 15–74* year-olds by age groups, September–November 2018

Age group, year-old Number Unemployment rate
thousand persons change, thousand personsa) % change, percentage pointa)
15–2434.8–1.010.2–0.2
25–54114.1–6.83.2–0.2
55–7419.8–1.12.5–0.3
Total168.7–8.83.6–0.2

* Data of the 15–64 age group are available (2.1.0.2. STADAT-table).
a) Compared to the same period of the previous year.