In 2009 Armenian unemployment level increases by 0.8% to 99.3 thousand people

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. -0–