900 fewer unemployed in December

NAV,NAV logo. Photo Norway Today Media

By the end of December, 63,500 were completely unemployed at Nav. That accounts for 2.3 percent of the workforce.

 

Gross unemployment, which also includes jobseekers on measures, was 79,000. This corresponds to 2.9 percent of the workforce.

Both the number of unemployed and gross unemployment fell by 900 people from November to December, according to seasonally adjusted figures.

– Unemployment has continued to decline through 2018, but slower than last year. The decline is primarily due to a continued improvement in the labor market in the counties and occupations affected by the decline in the oil industry, says Sigrun Vågeng, Minister for Labor and Welfare.

The proportion of unemployed has remained relatively stable throughout the year, but decreased from 2.5 per cent of the labor force in October to 2.4 per cent in November and December, adjusted for seasonal variations

Unemployment is highest in tourism and transport, with 3.9 per cent of the workforce. Unemployment is highest in Østfold and Vestfold and lowest in Sogn og Fjordane.

In November, Nav launched a new registration solution that leads to a shorter time from job seekers registering until they enter into the statistics. Nav estimates that there are 3,600 more unemployed in December than it would be without this new solution.

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today