The Number of Employed Belarusians Suffers Unprecedented Drop

The employment level in Belarus has its all-time low.

In September 2016 there were 4 million and 368.5 thousand of the employed, the National Statistical Committee informs.

In September 2015 that indicator equaled to 4 million and 474.1 thousand people. Thus, within a year the number of the employed dropped by 87.6 thousand.

According to the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the number of registered unemployed at the end of September 2016 amounted to 40.3 thousand people (at the end of September 2015-th - 43.7 thousand.). The registered unemployment rate was equal to 0.9% of the economically active population (in 2015 - 1%) at the end of September 2016, BelaPAN informs.

The latest issue of analytical review "Economic trends in Belarus", prepared by the Centre for Social and Economic Research CASE Belarus, notes that the level of employment fell to its lowest point over the last 12 years.

Researchers note over the past two quarters of the number employed population suffered an "unprecedented drop". In absolute terms the quarterly loss amounted to 40 thousand employees. Thus, within first six months the number of employees dropped by 80 thousand.

"This has been the all-time low in recent years. At the same time the number of unemployed increased in the first half only by 4 thousand people, which made 5% of the number of employed in the economy, CASE Belarus notes.

According to researchers, the employment rate in the second quarter fell to 4.402 million people. Earlier the all-time low was recorded in the fourth quarter of 2004 - 4.420 million.

"Thus, achievements of a five-year period 2006-2010 have been lost. Constant changes in labour force accounting methodology in 2012, thanks to which employment rate has constantly been replenished with a couple of tens of thousands are not taken into account. The last time "craftsmen" have been taken into account", the authors of the study stress.

This April 21 Aliaksandr Lukashenka proclaimed the necessity to "draw attention to an effective employment of people." "The optimisation is required", he said. "A new highly-efficient jobs are required, the ruler stressed. - If, all of a sudden, MAZ or BelAZ takes optimization and some people lose their jobs, they should be employed, but not given up on. This year it will be roughly monitored."

Lukashenka reminded about the task to the government and heads of the regions to create 50 thousand new jobs this year. "This is a minimum requirement, he said. - Only 50 thousand, neither 100 thousand, nor a million jobs... To create a million jobs, a billion is needed! We are realists: we need 50 thousand jobs. The task is clear, do it. However, he warned that "jobs are created not for a report, but for the people who live here."