Hungary jobless rate falls to 6.4 pc in July-September

Budapest, October 28 (MTI) – The average unemployment rate among Hungarians between the ages of 15 and 74 was 6.4 percent in July-September, the Central Statistical Office (KSH) said on Wednesday.

The jobless rate was down from 7.4 percent in the same period a year earlier and down from 6.9 percent in April-June.

The number of unemployed averaged 292,700 in July-September. The number of employed averaged 4,264,800.

Average employment in July-September was 116,200 higher than in the same period a year earlier.

A total of 49.2 percent of the unemployed had been seeking work for one year or more. The average time spent looking for work was 19.3 months.

There were 2,979,000 economically inactive Hungarians — those neither employed nor seeking work — in the age group during the period, down from 3,088,500 a year earlier. At the same time, the activity rate rose to 60.5 percent from 59.2 percent.

The data are calculated in line with International Labour Organisation standards and include people with all forms of employment contracts who have worked more than one hour a week during the period or are on sick leave or paid absence. The data also include those employed in public work schemes and those working abroad for less than one year.