IN 2009 ARMENIAN UNEMPLOYMENT LEVEL INCREASES BY 0.8% TO 99.3 THOUSAND PEOPLE
ARKA
Jan 21, 2010
YEREVAN, January 21. /ARKA/. "As of December 31, 2009 Armenian
unemployment level was 7.1% or 99.3 thousand people which are by 0.8%
more than in the same period of 2008", said Sona Harutyunyan, Head of
State Employment Service of the Ministry of Social Welfare of Armenia
on Thursday to the journalists.
In 2009 the number of job seekers in Armenia exceeded 99.3 thousand
people from which more than 84.4 thousand got status of unemployed.
They are mainly women and about 21% – youth. The number of registered
work migrants was 1600. The main tasks of employment sphere are
quick search of vacancies, contact with employers and job search for
uncompetitive groups.
"We proposed to make amendments in the legislation which envisage
implementation of two new programs, including creation of opportunities
of professional education of rural youth, as well as creation of
working conditions for invalids", she said. During 2009 the number
of people who received consultations in regional and territorial
agencies was 33.4%, total number of which was more than 193 thousand
people. Number of people registered for job search increased by 58.6%
instead of envisaged 10% making more than 54.7 thousand.
Cooperation between employers and registered unemployed people through
state employment services was increased. In 2009, 9394 people found job
which is by 9.2% more than the envisaged indicators. 220 people found
jobs in the frames of six job fairs. As for unemployment benefits in
2009, 33.3 thousand people got benefits versus 21 thousand unemployed
in 2008.
"The program of unemployment benefits was implemented very
productively – 33.3 thousand people received benefits instead of 22
thousand. The government allocated additional 1.4 billion drams for
its implementation", said Harutyunyan. During 2009 for the payment of
unemployment benefits which is 18 thousand drams and is paid within 6
months, state budget allocated 4.6 billion drams instead of envisaged
3.5 billion drams.
"Because of crisis, increase of unemployment rates was expected in
Armenia but due to anti-crisis programs of the government and programs
in unemployment sphere the rates of unemployment was only 0.8% (ratio
of unemployed to job finders) and absolute growth of unemployment made
10% or about 10 thousand people compared with 2008", she said.