According to labour market data provided by the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) for the month of October 2008, the labour supply increased by 2,270 persons over the corresponding month in 2007. The full-time gainfully occupied population increased by 2,578 persons, whereas the registered unemployed decreased by 308 persons.
In this way, the labour supply amounted to 151,729 persons. Of these, the full-time gainfully occupied population amounted to 145,378 persons, while the registered unemployed amounted to 6,351 persons. The net increase of 2,578 gainfully-occupied persons over the twelve-month period to October 2008 was distributed into 2,100 women and 478 men.
On a year-on-year basis, the full-time gainfully occupied population in the public sector decreased by 1,022 persons. On the other hand, the full-time gainfully occupied population in the private sector increased by 3,600 persons.
In the twelve months to October 2008, full-time employment increased by 2,224 in Malta and by 354 in Gozo.
Economic activities
In the twelve months to October 2008, the economic activities which registered the main growth in fulltime employment were real estate, renting and business activities (NACE 70-74); other community, social and personal service activities (NACE 90-93); and wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles and personal and household goods (NACE 50-52). Accordingly, the sector of real estate, renting and business activities (NACE 70-74) increased its employment by 1,435 persons. On its part, the sector of other community, social and personal service activities (NACE 90-93) gained 429 persons. Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles and personal and household goods (NACE 50-52) reported an increase of 406 persons.
On the downside, the number of the gainfully occupied persons fell in manufacturing (NACE 15-37) and electricity, gas and water supply (NACE 40-41). In fact, manufacturing dropped by 1,063 persons, while the sector of electricity, gas and water supply dropped by 140 persons.
Self-employment
On a year-on-year basis, the number of self-employed persons increased by 234 to reach 17,153. The two main economic activities in which self-employed persons operate were wholesale and retail trade (NACE 50-52) and construction (NACE 45).
Part-time employment
In the twelve months to October 2008, part-time employment rose by 2,309. Among part-timers who also hold a full-time job, there was an increase of 709 persons, while those having a part-time job as their primary occupation went up by 1,600 persons.