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Unemployment in Guernsey continues to fall but the speed of the decrease is slowing.
The latest figures, released this morning, show that 292 claimants did not work during the last week of April. That was just three people fewer than at the end of March, 15 fewer than at the end of February and 24 fewer than at the end of January.
Unemployment declined steeply in the months which followed the end of the first and second covid-19 lockdowns - from a high of more than 1,600 in spring 2020.
In 2019, the year before the pandemic hit Guernsey, unemployment fluctuated between 300 and 350.
It is now at its lowest level since December 2018, but still has some way to fall if it is to reach its modern low of 250, which was achieved in the summer of 2017.
Pictured: The number of people unemployed is just under 1% of the island's working population.
Deputy Peter Roffey, the President of the Committee for Employment & Social Security, said: "It is really pleasing to see a further reduction in unemployment, albeit a very small one.
"Realistically, we have reached such a low level of unemployment that further progress is always going to be incremental at best. We are trying very hard indeed to match those people still out of work to jobs they are suitable for. This involves several training and work experience schemes.
"I am very much aware that the other side of the coin of Guernsey's remarkably low level of unemployment is a real problem for many employers in recruiting suitable staff."
Pictured: The Committee for Employment & Social Security is pleased that unemployment is still decreasing when it is already lower than it has been since 2018.
New claims for employment- and income-related benefits fell to 19 compared to 59 in the previous month.
The number of people who were in work and claiming additional financial support was 305, a reduction of 20 from the previous month.
The number of job adverts promoted by the States' Job Centre was 469, a reduction of 29 from the previous month.
There were 47 people on training schemes and work placements run through the Job Centre, such as Work to Benefit and Kickstart.
There were four people in Alderney registered as unemployed at the end of April.
Jobseekers near three-year low
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