Private salaried employment increased by 0.5% in the first quarter.
88,800 net job creations took place, according to final figures released on Thursday by INSEE (National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies).
Increase in the first quarter, private and public combined
This is an upward revision of the estimate of May 7 which reported 57,300 net job creations in the private sector (+ 0.3%) between the end of December 2020 and the end of March 2021. With the public employment which has almost stabilized (-2,700 jobs), salaried employment increased overall in the first quarter by 0.3% (+86,100 jobs), after -0.1% (-22,800) in the previous quarter.
Private salaried employment remains below its pre-crisis level: at the end of the first quarter, it was 1.2% below its level at the end of 2019 (i.e. -243,400 jobs), while public employment exceeds its pre-crisis level by 0.6% (+33 600).
In total, salaried employment is at the beginning of 2021 at a level comparable to that of early 2019, indicates INSEE.
Interim stabilization, but down 5% compared to the end of 2019
In the first quarter of 2021 and after strong fluctuations in 2020, temporary work, a true compass for the job market, has almost stabilized (+ 0.3%, or +2400 jobs). But temporary employment was 5% below its level at the end of 2019 in March 2021 (-39,600 jobs).
Excluding temporary work, employment is increasing in a number of sectors, but remains below its pre-crisis level in industry and the commercial services sector.
In industry, it is almost stable (+ 0.1% in the 1st quarter, or +1900 jobs), but remains below its pre-crisis level (-1.8% or -55,600 jobs).
In the commercial services sector, excluding temporary work, salaried employment increased moderately (+ 0.4%, or +47,900), while in construction, it increased markedly (+ 1.4%, or +19,800), exceeding amply its pre-crisis level (+ 3.5% compared to the end of 2019, i.e. +50,800).
Finally, employment in the non-market tertiary sector increased by 0.2% (+17,700).
It exceeds its pre-crisis level (+ 1% compared to the end of 2019, or +76,500), mainly in the health sector (+ 3.5% or +55,900 jobs).
