Page 26 - UKRRptJun20

4.4 ​Labour and income
4.4.1​ Labour market, unemployment dynamics
Source: ICU
Unemployment rate (%)
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 EFF
6.4 6.4 8.8 8.1 7.9 7.5 7.2 9.3 9.1 9.3 9.4 9.3 8.8
The number of Ukraine’s officially unemployed was up 64% in the middle of May y/y, to 501,000, ​reports the State Employment Service. In contrast, the number of vacancies was down 55% to 51,000. Since a large portion of Ukrainians work off the books, the numbers are largely useful as trend indicators.
The coronavirus lockdown is depriving one third of small businesses of more than half of their income​, according to a European Business Association poll completed last week of 111 small businesses. Of the group, 44% lost up to half of their income and 7% are considering closing. One third cut staff and 59% kept staff levels unchanged. On salaries, 29% cut wages and 19% put employees on unpaid leave. After the two month lockdown, 60% of entrepreneurs are considering a full or partial switch to remote work mode.
With only half the seasonal farm workers it needs, Germany is stretching the deadline for foreign workers to enter the country​, Deutsche Welle’s Ukrainian service reports, citing a German Agriculture Ministry statement posted Sunday. With German farms needing another 40,000 workers,
26​ UKRAINE Country Report​ June 2020 ​ ​www.intellinews.com