Published on: 28 April 2021

Methodological change

Unemployment rate was 4.0%

The number of unemployed in March 2021 was 194 thousand, up 25 thousand from same period last year and down 19 thousand from February. The unemployment rate increased by 0.5 percentage points to 4.0%. In the period from January to March 2021, the number of unemployed was 215 thousand, 42 thousand more than a year earlier. The unemployment rate was 4.5%, 0.9 percentage points higher than in the previous year.

In March1 2021

The number of unemployed2 was 194 thousand, and the unemployment rate was 4.0%.

Compared to February 2021, the number of unemployed decreased by 19 thousand and the unemployment rate by 0.4 percentage points.

Compared to March of the previous year, the number of unemployed increased by 25 thousand and the unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage points.

In January–March 20213, compared to a year before:

The number of unemployed people aged 15–74 grew by 42 thousand to 215 thousand and their unemployment rate increased by 0.9 percentage points to 4.5%. Among men, the number of unemployed increased by 14 thousand to 106 thousand and the unemployment rate grew by 0.5 percentage points to 4.1%. In the case of women, the number of unemployed rose by 28 thousand to 109 thousand and the unemployment rate increased by 1.3 percentage points to 4.9%.

Among people aged 15–24, the number of unemployed increased to 42 thousand and the unemployment rate by 2.4 percentage points to 13.6%. Nearly one-fifth of all unemployed come from this age-group. Unemployment rates for people aged 25–54 grew by 0.7 percentage points to 4.0%, and for people aged 55–74 increased by 1.1 percentage points to 3.3%.

The average duration of unemployment was 9.1 months; 26.4% of unemployed people had been looking for a job for one year or more.

Unemployment was highest in Northern Great Plain during this period, 7.3%. Compared to the same period of the previous year, it increased in all regions except Southern Transdanubia: the fastest, by 1.8 percentage points in Southern Great Plain. Unemployment increased significantly by 1.4 percentage points in both the Pest region (3.8%) and Northern Hungary (5.7%). Unemployment was lowest in Western and Central Transdanubia (2.3% and 2.4%, respectively).

Unemployment among 15–74* year-olds by age group, January–March 2021

Age group, year–old Number Unemployment rate
thousand persons change, thousand personsa) % change, percentage pointa)
15–2441.85.313.62.4
25–54146.126.74.00.7
55–7426.99.73.31.1
Total214.841.84.50.9

*Data of the 15–64 age group are available (20.2.1.3 STADAT Table).
a) Compared to the same period of the previous year.

At the end of March 2021, 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 increased by 7.9% to 304 thousand.