MARIGOT--As of the end of July, the French-side unemployment rate rose to 24.14 per cent with 4,310 category A persons seeking work, the latest figures show. The rate for all categories combined was 27.2 per cent.
The number has increased slightly, but is still comparable with the year before. This July, 50 new persons were registered at the employment office (Pôle Emploi).
2,545 women registered at the office represent 60 per cent of total persons registered. Persons aged over 50 years, account for 28 per cent of job seekers. 1,780 persons (40 per cent) have been seeking employment for over a year, with this number increasing each month. More and more young people possessing the higher Baccalaureate grades are also finding it increasingly difficult to find work.
By contrast, persons without qualifications at the end of July stood at 1,702, a drop of 4.1 per cent. In addition, individuals aged under 25 years registered at the office totalled 490 compared to 567 for the same period last year.
The Employment Office had a total of 36 jobs on offer in July, of which 18 were taken by category A job seekers.
Préfet Philippe Chopin announced Wednesday that the annual Job Forum will be held on October 23, preceded by a press conference on October 13.
