15,000 more jobless in Flanders than a year ago

The figures were released by the Flemish Employment Minister Philippe Muyters (nationalist) on Tuesday. Currently 7.18% of the working population in Flanders is looking for work.

Unemployment is rising most sharply among men. Currently 54.6% of that claiming unemployment benefit is male. Male unemployment has risen by 11% over the past year.

Meanwhile, female unemployment went up by 3.9%. According to the Employment Minister’s office the sharper rise in male unemployment is due to the disproportionally high number of job losses in manufacturing, a sector that is still dominated by man.

The number of young people without a job also rose sharply. At the end of March there were 44,666 young people under 25 looking for work, 13.5% more than a year ago.

However, unemployment among the over 50’s is slightly lower than it was a year ago (down 0.8%).

The province showing the greatest rise in unemployment was Limburg (+9.7%), while the rise in Flemish Brabant (6.4%) was the smallest.

[Flandersnews.be / Expatica]