Tyrol unemployment rises slightly as long term joblessness jumps

Unemployment in Tyrol rose slightly in August, while long term unemployment increased sharply, according to ORF. The unemployment rate reached 3.5 percent, still the lowest among Austria’s federal states, according to the Public Employment Service Austria.

As of 31 August, 13,347 people were registered as unemployed in Tyrol. That was 446 more than a year earlier, an increase of 3.5 percent. Employment also rose by about 2,000 people, limiting the increase in the unemployment rate.

Johannes Schranz, deputy head of the Tyrol office of the Public Employment Service, said the labour market remained stable. Employment was still at a high level, he said.

More than half of those registered as unemployed had been without work for less than three months. However, the number of people affected by long term unemployment rose by 18 percent, or 375 people, to 2,461.

Unemployment increased more sharply among women than men. The number of unemployed women rose by 4.9 percent, compared with 2.1 percent among men. The unemployment rate was 3.6 percent for women and 3.4 percent for men.

At the end of August, 40.3 percent of registered unemployed people had no more than a compulsory school qualification. Their unemployment rate was 10.0 percent. The rate was 2.7 percent among people who had completed apprenticeship training and 2.1 percent among university graduates. The Public Employment Service said further training was the best way to combat unemployment.

Tyrol was the only federal state to record an increase in immediately available apprenticeship vacancies. Their number rose by 15.7 percent year on year to 1,476, while the number of people seeking apprenticeships fell by 3.1 percent to 500.

The total number of immediately available vacancies registered with the Tyrol office of the Public Employment Service also increased. At the end of August, 7,340 positions were listed, 243 more than a year earlier, an increase of 3.4 percent.