Labor market in NRW stable at the end of the year

Created: 01/03/2023 10:48 am

"Employment Agency" hangs above the entrance to the federal agency.

© Jens Kalaene/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa/Symbolbild

Despite the difficult economic situation, the job market in North Rhine-Westphalia proved to be stable at the end of the year.

The number of unemployed fell in December compared to the previous month by 0.1 percent to 675,038, as the regional directorate of the Federal Employment Agency announced on Tuesday.

At 6.9 percent, the rate remained at the level of the previous month.

Dusseldorf - "The most important message at the turn of the year is that the labor market has shown itself to be stable despite the economic challenges for the economy - such as rising energy costs or growing inflation," said Bianca Cristal, Managing Director for Labor Market Management at the Regional Directorate.

The main reason for this is that companies are doing everything they can to keep their employees.

On average for the year, unemployment was 49,718 people lower than in the previous year.

However, in December compared to the previous year, 3.6 percent more people were registered as unemployed.

The Russian attack on Ukraine had a major impact.

“Up until the beginning of March we were able to observe a strong recovery from the consequences of the two years of Covid.

But the war put a damper on that recovery,” said Cristal.

The economic slowdown as a result of the war had gradually become noticeable on the labor market.

In October and November, for the first time since May 2021, more people were registered as unemployed than a year earlier.

In December, unemployment affected 23,672 people more than a year earlier.

Among the unemployed were around 40,000 Ukrainian women and men who had fled to NRW before the Russian attack on their country.

"These people try to get on their own feet quickly," Cristal said.

Around 15,000 Ukrainians found work in October, including more than 11,000 in jobs subject to social security contributions.

dpa