Unemployment rate decreased to 4.4%
In October–December 2016, the number of unemployed people was 205 thousand, 76 thousand fewer than a year earlier, and the unemployment rate decreased by 1.7 percentage points to 4.4%. Men and women were characterized by almost the same level of unemployment, the improvement was higher in the case of women.
The annual average number of the unemployed was 235 thousand in 2016, 73 thousand fewer than in 2015. The unemployment rate decreased by 1.7 percentage points to 5.1% compared to the previous year.
In October–December 2016, compared to a year before:
The number of 15–74 year-old unemployed men decreased by 36 thousand to 110 thousand, and their unemployment rate by 1.5 percentage points to 4.4%. The number of unemployed women declined by 40 thousand to 95 thousand, and their unemployment rate by 2.0 percentage points to 4.5%.
The unemployment rate of the 15–24 age group decreased by 3.7 percentage points to 11.6%, but almost one fifth of the unemployed still belonged to this age group. The unemployment rates of those aged 25–54, i.e. persons belonging to the ‘best working age’ and that of persons aged 55–64 decreased as well, the former by 1.7 percentage points to 3.9% and the latter by 1.1 percentage points also to 3.9%.
The average duration of unemployment was 17.9 months; 46.6% of unemployed people had been searching for a job for one year or more, i.e. were long-term unemployed.
The unemployment rate of people aged 15–74 decreased in all regions. The change was the most significant in Southern Great Plain, where the unemployment rate decreased by 2.5 percentage points to 4.6%, as well as in Southern Transdanubia and Northern Great Plain, where the rates decreased by 2.2 percentage points to 5.9% and 8.0%, respectively. The rate was the lowest, 2.1% in Western Transdanubia, while, despite the above average improvement, it was the highest in Northern Great Plain among the regions.
At the end of December 2016, 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 19.0% to 273 thousand.
Unemployment among 15–64 year-olds by age groups, October–December 2016
| Age group, year-old | Number | Unemployment rate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| thousand persons | change, thousand personsa) | % | change, percentage pointa) | |
| 15–24 | 40.8 | –12.1 | 11.6 | –3.7 |
| 25–54 | 135.7 | –57.6 | 3.9 | –1.7 |
| 55–64 | 27.8 | –5.8 | 3.9 | –1.1 |
| Total | 204.3 | –75.5 | 4.5 | –1.7 |
a) Compared to the same period of the previous year.
In January–December 2016, compared to a year before:
The number of the 15–74 year-old unemployed decreased by 73 thousand to 235 thousand. The unemployment rate diminished by 1.7 percentage points to 5.1% compared to the previous year.
The number of 15–74 year-old unemployed men decreased by 34 thousand to 128 thousand, and their unemployment rate by 1.5 percentage points to 5.1%. The number of unemployed women declined to a greater extent than that of men; their number fell by 39 thousand to 107 thousand, and their unemployment rate by 1.9 percentage points also to 5.1%.
The change was the most significant in the 15–24 age group, their unemployment rate decreased by 4.4 percentage points to 12.9%. In the other observed age groups, the extent of change was nearly the same; the unemployment rate of the 25–54 age group and the 55-64 age group decreased by 1.5 and 1.4 percentage points to 4.5% and 4.4%, respectively.