Norwegian unemployment rising
-Unemployment is increasing very rapidly, Norwegian labour authorities say. Growth in unemployment is lowest in the northernmost county of Finnmark.
-Unemployment now increases very rapidly. All labor groups experience increased unemployment, but it is still the construction industry which has the biggest increase, head of the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Service Tor Saglie says in a press release.
Over the last 12 months, unemployment within the construction industry has increased 157 percent. Also other Norwegian industry is experiencing hardship, and especially the companies depending on exports.
Figures from Statistics Norway show that unemployment was up by 12 000 from September to December 2008, and that it now exceeds 3,0 percent of the labour force. Early last fall, unemployment totalled only 2,5 percent.
Unemployment growth is lowest in the northermost county of Finnmark. The county still has the highest unemployment figures in the country with its 3,8 percent of the workforce.
Also in neighbouring Sweden, Finland and Russia, unemployment is strongly on the increase. As BarentsObserver recently reported, figures from the Russian Statistical Service show an unemployment of about 6,1 million people. In Sweden the Labour Market Survey for 2008 shows an increased unemployment of 52,000 people. Unemployment in the country by 1 January 2009 totaled 6,1 percent of the work force, Statistics Sweden reports.
