Unemployment rate decreased to 4.4%
In the period of March–May 2017, the average number of unemployed people was 203 thousand, 48 thousand fewer than a year earlier, and the unemployment rate decreased by 1.1 percentage points to 4.4%. The unemployment rate was lower for men than for women and the rate of improvement was also higher among them.
In March–May 2017, compared to a year before:
The number of 15–74 year-old unemployed men decreased by 30 thousand to 104 thousand, and their unemployment rate by 1.2 percentage points to 4.2%. The number of unemployed women declined by 17 thousand to 99 thousand, and their unemployment rate by 0.9 percentage point to 4.7%.
The unemployment rate of the 15–24 age group decreased by 3.0 percentage points to 10.8%, and one-sixth of the unemployed belonged to this age group in this period. The unemployment rate of those aged 25–54, i.e. persons belonging to the ‘best working age’ decreased by 1.1 percentage points to 3.9%, and the rate for persons aged 55–64 characterized by increasing labour market activity, was essentially unchanged, 4.2%.
The average duration of unemployment was 16.6 months; 44.2% of unemployed people had been searching for a job for one year or more, i.e. were long-term unemployed.
At the end of May 2017, 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 6.3% to 288 thousand.
Unemployment among 15–74* year-olds by age groups, March–May 2017
| Age group, year-old | Number | Unemployment rate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| thousand persons | change, thousand personsa) | % | change, percentage pointa) | |
| 15–24 | 36.2 | –10.1 | 10.8 | –3.0 |
| 25–54 | 136.9 | –37.1 | 3.9 | –1.1 |
| 55–74 | 30.0 | –0.5 | 4.0 | –0.1 |
| Total | 203.1 | –47.6 | 4.4 | –1.1 |
* Data of the 15-64 age group are available (2.1.0.2. STADAT-table).
a) Compared to the same period of the previous year.