Private sector hires around 16,000 people

TIRANA, Dec. 10 – Despite the crisis it has been facing, Albania’s private sector which accounts for 80 percent of the GDP, continues remaining the top employer with around 83 percent of the total number of employees. While the number of people employed in the private agriculture sector is estimated at around 519,000 under an INSTAT survey, the number of those employed in the private non-agricultural sector rose by 5.7 percent to 288,380 in the third quarter of 2013, compared to the same period a year ago, according to INSTAT data. Compared to the third quarter of 2012, some 15,713 people were hired in the private non-agricultural sector.
The number of people employed in the public sector remained unchanged at 163,800 in the third quarter of the year. INSTAT reports Albania’s unemployment rate remained at 12.8 percent in the third quarter 2013, unchanged for the fifth quarter in a row.
Albania’s minimum wage rose to 22,000 lek (Euro 154) in the third quarter of 2013, while average wages in the public sector rose to 52,600 (Euro 368). Only around 7,750 people benefit monthly unemployment assistance of around 6,850 lek (Euro 48).
In its latest labour force survey, INSTAT says Albania’s unemployment rate rose to 14.8 percent in the second quarter of 2013, up 0.9 percent compared to the same period last year. The survey shows Albania’s long-term unemployment, the share of labour force that is unemployed for 12 months and more, also rose to 11.9 at the end of the second quarter of 2013, up 0.6 percent year-on-year.
The survey showed the youth unemployment rate which includes people aged from 15 to 29 years old was at 23.6 percent in the second quarter of 2013 almost at the same levels compared to a year ago.
The services sector employs 37 percent of people aged between 15 to 64 years old. Employment in market services such as trade, transport, financial activities, hotels and restaurants and car repair, communication and real estate accounts for 19.7 percent of total employment. The public services composed of public administration, security, compulsory insurance, education and health accounts for 15.2 percent of total employment.
Employment in the agriculture sector accounted for 48.8 percent of total in the second quarter of 2013, compared to 16.3 percent in the industry sector.
Some 5,000 households are interviewed as part of the INSTAT labour force survey which is now conducted on quarterly basis compared to an annual basis in the previous years.