At the end of September, 323,783 unemployed

After six months of decline on a monthly basis, the number of unemployed increased in September – at the end of September, the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ) registered 323,783 unemployed persons, which is an increase of 3.2 percent, or 10,108 persons more than at the end of August.

On an annual basis, compared to September of last year, the number of unemployed is higher by 4.1 percent, or 12,683 persons, HZZ announced today on its website.

According to the data from the Service, during September, 26,122 persons exited the unemployment register, while a total of 36,230 persons were newly registered, which is 10.8 percent more new registrations than in September of last year.

The majority of persons entering the HZZ register came directly from employment, totaling 22,189, which is 61.2 percent of the total number of new registrations.

HZZ statistics confirm that the increase in the number of unemployed was primarily influenced by the end of the main tourist season, as the highest number of persons coming directly from employment was from the accommodation, food preparation, and serving activities – 5,508 persons, or nearly one in four persons who entered the unemployment register came from employment.

Among the sectors, wholesale and retail trade follows with 4,140 persons (18.7 percent), manufacturing industry with 3,688 persons (16.6 percent), administrative and support service activities with 1,498 persons (6.8 percent), and construction with 1,371 persons (6.2 percent).

During September, 415 persons entered the HZZ register from other business activities, 5,839 from regular schooling, and 7,787 persons from inactivity.

In total, during the ninth month of this year, 26,122 persons exited the unemployment register, of which 15,227 were employed (7.6 percent more than in September of last year).

Of these, 13,390 persons (87.9 percent) were employed based on establishing an employment relationship and 1,837 persons (12.1 percent) based on other business activities (professional training for work without establishing an employment relationship, registering a company or craft, contract work, employment under special regulations, etc.).

Registered employment based on an employment relationship was most common in the education sector – 3,049 persons, or 22.8 percent, followed by the manufacturing industry with 2,476 persons, wholesale and retail trade with 1,664 persons, construction with 1,363 persons, and accommodation, food preparation, and serving with 1,071 persons.

According to HZZ data, in September, 10,895 persons exited the unemployment register for other reasons in accordance with the law, e.g., irregular reporting, non-compliance with legal provisions, retirement, enrollment in regular schooling, etc.

The largest absolute number of registered unemployed persons is in the city of Zagreb (44,735 or 13.8 percent of the total number in Croatia), Split-Dalmatia County (41,394 or 12.8 percent), and Osijek-Baranja County (35,272 or 10.9 percent), while the smallest is in Lika-Senj County (3,101 or 1 percent).