Labour Centre: Share of Jobseekers Available for Work Fell to 3.87% in October

Bratislava, 20 November (TASR) - The proportion of jobseekers available to work in the working-age population (WAP) reached 3.87 percent in October 2025, falling by 0.01 percentage points month-on-month and rising by one-tenth of a percentage point when compared to October of last year, the Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Centre (UPSVaR) reported on Thursday, adding that the total number of jobseekers stabilised at 165,877. "It's positive that school-leavers and university graduates are leaving the register of jobseekers at a similar rate as in previous years and are able to find employment on the labour market. Personally, I'm pleased with the continuing decline in the number of long-term unemployed people. For months, we've been working systematically to provide effective support for people facing difficult life situations," said Labour, Social Affairs and the Family Minister Erik Tomas (Voice-SD). According to him, as part of its proactive approach, the state has introduced several new tools for active labour market measures, including a project called 'Right to a First Job' and an initiative called 'Work Instead of Benefits'. According to him, the aim is to create the right conditions for finding employment, which is usually the best way to escape the shackles of poverty. UPSVaR head Peter Ormandy stated that the total number of school-leavers and university graduates has reached an all-time low. "In October 2010, we recorded more than 34,000 unemployed school-leavers and graduates, while this year there were 10,198 in the tenth month. The lowest October level in the last two decades was seen in 2023, with 9,195 graduates. This year, employees of the labour, social affairs and the family offices are again helping young people to take their first steps on the labour market and offering them a number of support tools," added Ormandy. am/df