The unemployment rate remained almost stable in the third quarter of 2021 (+ 0.1 point compared to the previous quarter), to stand at 8.1% of the working population in France (excluding Mayotte), according to published figures, Friday, November 19, by the National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (Insee). This is worse than what the latter had forecast in his last economic report, at the beginning of October, anticipating an unemployment rate of 7.6% in the third quarter.
In the third quarter, the number of unemployed according to the International Labor Office (BIT) in France (excluding Mayotte) reached 2.4 million people, or 52,000 more over the quarter.
Unemployment rate “Has fluctuated between 8% and 8.1% since the fourth quarter of 2020, at the same level as in the fourth quarter of 2019, before the health crisis”, specifies INSEE. And to continue: “This virtual stability of the unemployment rate in the third quarter of 2021 results both from the strong dynamism of employment and that of the active population, as in the previous quarter”.
Paradox
“This is first of all good news, since the number of French people who have a job has never been so high since 1975”, commented upon publication of the figures the Minister of Labor, Employment and Integration, Elisabeth Borne. “The paradox is that the unemployment rate is not going down. Why ? This is because, with the economic recovery and the large number of job offers, some people who were no longer looking for work have started looking again.r “ and appear again in unemployment statistics, argued Mme Thick headed.
Over the quarter, the unemployment rate increased by 0.3 point for 15-24 year olds and stabilized for 25-49 year olds and 50 and over, details INSEE. Compared to the respective levels before the health crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic, i.e. at the end of 2019, it is clearly below for young people (- 1.2 points) and almost identical for people of middle age (- 0.1 point) and seniors (+ 0.1 point).
Regarding the “Halo around unemployment”, or unemployed people who want one but who do not meet the other ILO criteria to be considered as unemployed, he “Decreases markedly”, notes INSEE, with 1.9 million people in this category, down 175,000 over the quarter.
The long-term unemployment rate is stable. Among the unemployed, 700,000 say they have been unemployed and have been looking for one for at least a year. The long-term unemployment rate stood at 2.4% of the labor force in the third quarter of 2021, the same level as in the previous quarter and 0.2 points higher than its level at the end of 2019.