HZZ: In August, there were 19.4 thousand fewer unemployed in Croatia than last year

At the end of August this year, the Croatian Employment Service (HZZ) recorded 87,986 unemployed persons, which is 18.1 percent or 19,401 persons less than in August last year, the HZZ reported on Tuesday. However, compared to July this year, the number of unemployed increased by 0.2 percent or 188 persons. According to daily data from the HZZ, there are currently 86,166 unemployed registered at the Service, and 21,458 job vacancies have been advertised.

During August, 9,335 persons were newly reported to the HZZ’s unemployment records, which is 29.8 percent less than in August 2023. Of these, 69.3 percent or 6,471 persons came directly from employment. In the unemployment records last month, 1,591 persons (17.1 percent) came from inactivity, and 1,273 persons (13.6 percent) from regular schooling.

According to HZZ data, 9,147 persons exited the unemployment records, which is 5.5 percent less than in August last year. Of these, 6,235 persons were employed, of which 5,386 persons or 86.4 percent based on establishing an employment relationship and 849 persons or 13.6 percent based on other business activities.

Recorded employment based on an employment relationship was most frequently realized in wholesale and retail trade – 781 persons or 14.5 percent. This is followed by the manufacturing industry with 774 persons or 14.4 percent, accommodation, food preparation, and serving with 499 persons or 9.3 percent, and construction with 472 persons or 8.8 percent.

In August, 2,912 persons exited the unemployment records for other reasons in accordance with the law, e.g., leaving the labor force (retirement, enrollment in regular schooling), non-compliance with legal provisions (not actively seeking work, unavailable for work), deregistration from the records, etc.

Among the counties, the leading employment was in the Osijek-Baranja County (815 persons or 15.1 percent of the total number of employed based on establishing an employment relationship), Split-Dalmatia County (674 persons or 12.5 percent), the City of Zagreb (538 persons or 10 percent), and Vukovar-Srijem County (412 persons or 7.6 percent).

The largest absolute number of registered unemployed persons was recorded in Split-Dalmatia County 14,165 (or 16.1 percent of the total number in Croatia), Osijek-Baranja County (11,594 or 13.2 percent), and the City of Zagreb (11,084 or 12.6 percent), while the smallest was in Lika-Senj County (936 or 1.1 percent).

In August, 20,354 persons or 23.1 percent of the total number of unemployed received cash benefits. The number of cash benefit recipients decreased compared to the same month last year by 7.1 percent or 1,557 persons.