Q1 of 2019: annual unemployment rate declines by 1.2%

The annual unemployment rate in Georgia decreased by 1.2 percentage points and equalled 12.8% in the first quarter (Q1) of 2019, says the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat).

In Q1 of 2018 the economically active population constituted 63.8% of the working population (population of 15 years and older).

In comparison to the same quarter of the previous year, the economic activity rate remained the same, while the employment rate increased by 0.8 percentage point”, said Geostat.

The employment level has been increased by two percentage points in Georgia’s urban areas compared to Q1 of 2018, while in rural areas it has decreased by 1.1 percentage points.

In the urban areas the economic activity rate was increased by 0.6 percentage point compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, while in rural areas it was decreased by one percentage point”, said Geostat.

In Q1 of 2019, the share of hired employees was 50.3% among employed persons that is increased by 0.9 percentage point compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.

In the reporting period, the unemployment rate in rural settlements was reduced by 2.6 percentage points compared to the previous quarter, while in urban settlements increased by 0.2 percentage points.

Geostat said that traditionally, the unemployment rate is higher in men than in women. 

In Q1 of 2019 the indicator was 3.9 percentage point higher for men compared to the corresponding indicator for women”, said Geostat.

In addition, the unemployment rate decreased by 1.6 percentage point for women and by 0.9 percentage point for men compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. Also, the employment rate for women was increased by 1.4 and by 0.2 percentage point for men compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.