In light of the restrictions imposed by the government on the economy in the struggle against Corona, the unemployment rate in Israel rose to 20.4 percent. • As of March: 690,000 new unemployed

At the time of the Corona crisis: 690,055 new unemployed were registered in Israel since the beginning of March, 90% of them were taken on vacation without pay. The unemployment rate jumped to 20.4 percent, meaning every fifth Israeli is unemployed. Along with the number of unemployed before the Corona crisis, 847,906 in Israel are now unemployed - more than the number of Jews living in Israel during the War of Independence in 1948.

Photo: GPO

The Employment Service reported this morning (Thursday) that 39,009 job seekers were registered yesterday, up from 45,647 on Tuesday, 38,016 on Monday, and 54,305 on Sunday this week.

The Employment Service also reports that of the new stabilizers in the current month, 59% are women and 41% are men. This is the case, while in the previous two months, women accounted for about 51% of the registrants. Also, 46.2% of those in the employment service bureaus are girls aged 34-20, 37.5% of them are in the 54-35 age group, 14% of the age group 55+, and 2.2% are up to 20 years of age.

The largest percentage of new job seekers is in the center of the country - 25.3%. In Tel Aviv, 18.6% were registered, Jerusalem (including Judea and Samaria) - 15.5%, North - 15.4%, South - 14%, Haifa - 11.2%.

The service adds that "the turning point in the Corona crisis, which began with the Knesset, became the main reason for the employment service - and not dismissal as it was before - was March 10, 2020."

Rami Graur, CEO of the Employment Service: "We are closely watching how the labor market will affect the additional restrictions and stricter measures in the Corona struggle, and we are already preparing ourselves for the next phase - the gradual return of the economy to activity. We estimate that 20% of all workers who have left the job market in crisis - will not return to their jobs. "