Malta: Rise in both gainfully occupied and registered unemployed

The number of total gainfully occupied persons rose by 4.6 percent from September 2019 to September 2020, reaching 231,579. The latest figures by the Nationals Statistics Office show that Labour Supply, however, also grew by 5.4 percent over the same period and registered unemployment rose from 1,668 to 3,385 year-on-year.

Wholesale and retail trade, including vehicle repairs, was the economic activity with the highest number of people in full-time employment, accounting for 28,833 jobs. The biggest increases from September 2019, though, were observed in Administrative and support services activities, rising by 12.3 percent. Human health and social work activities registered the second-highest growth of 9.5 percent.

Accommodation and food service, and Arts and entertainment were the two activities to record a drop from the previous year, decreasing by 0.4 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively.

Registered full-time employment in the private sector grew by 5.1 percent, reaching 181,653 persons. Public sector full-time employment, meanwhile, increased by 2.9 percent to 49.926 jobs.