19,918 available resident jobseekers were registered with ADEM on 31 December 2020. Compared to December 2019, this represents an increase of 3,386 people or 20.5%. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, calculated by STATEC, stands at 6.4%. After a sudden increase in unemployment in March and April and a decline observed from May onwards, the unemployment rate has been around 6.3% to 6.4% since August.
In December 2020, 2,208 residents registered with the ADEM, a decrease of 43 people or 1.9% compared to December 2019. The increase in unemployment is explained above all by a drop in the number of people leaving ADEM towards the labour market rather than an increase in registrations. Over the whole of 2020, the registrations of resident jobseekers fell by 5% compared to 2019. At the same time, the number of closed files fell by 12%. Even if the closing of a file does not necessarily correspond to a resumption of employment, the correlation is very strong.
The number of resident jobseekers receiving full unemployment benefit increased by 1,788 or 22% over a year to 9,911. The number of beneficiaries of employment measurs is 3,878, which is below the level observed in December 2019 (-205 persons or -5%).
During the month of December 2020, employers declared 2,275 vacant positions to ADEM, which corresponds to a decrease of 1% compared to December 2019. On 31 December 2020, ADEM had 6,276 job vacancies in its database, a 1.9% decrease over one year. However, these figures conceal major sectoral disparities. Thus the evolution of vacant positions is positive in construction (+38%), health (+11%) or the financial sector (+7%), while the Horeca (-53%), trade (-26%) or transport and logistics (-15%) experienced an unfavorable evolution.