THE JOBLESS rate in Slovakia dropped 0.39 percentage points to 8.5 percent in April 2007 since the previous month. Head of the National Labour, Social Affairs, and Family Office's department of analyses and statistical findings, Vladimír Haško, said that compared with April 2006, the jobless rate went down by 2.54 percentage points.
The unemployment rate went down nearly in all districts of Slovakia. The jobless rate increased only in the Trenčín and Skalica districts, which was caused by massive layoffs in the Trenčín-based Ozeta Neo company.
Compared to last month, a drop in the unemployment rate was reported in 77 of Slovakia's 79 districts. Based on data from individual regions, Haško thinks the jobless rate will drop in May also. Labour offices in 72 districts expect a decrease in the number of job seekers. On the other hand, the Trnava, Púchov, Stropkov and Medzilaborce districts expect an increase in unemployment.
"The Banská Bystrica Region reported the highest unemployment rate at 14.71 percent," said Haško. "The Košice Region also registered an unemployment rate above the national average, 14.11 percent. The Prešov Region was third with a rate of 12.43 percent."
The unemployment rate decreased the most in the Banská Bystrica Region while the Bratislava Region enjoying the lowest unemployment rate, ended with the lowest drop.
The number of job seekers able to take up a job immediately was 221,018 people at the end of April. This number was 10,143 people fewer compared to March and 61,455 people fewer compared to April 2006.
