Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The unemployment rate made up 9.4% of the economically active population in January-March 2019, which is 0.1 percentage points higher than in January-December 2018 (9.3%), but 0.3 percentage points lower than the figure for January-March 2018.

According to Uzbek Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations, in the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Andijan, Kashkadarya, Samarkand, Syrdarya and Ferghana provinces, the highest unemployment rate was recorded, amounting to 9.7%, the lowest - in Tashkent city (8.0%).

The number of people in need of employment made up 1.3 million people. The unemployment rate among young people (under 30) was 15.3%; among young people aged 15-25, it exceeded 17.1%, the level of female unemployment was 13.0%.

The number of labor resources reached 18.95 million people and increased by 1% compared to January-March 2018 due to the growth of the working-age population at working age by 183,200 people.

The number of economically active population reached 14.76 millionpeople (1% growth against January-March 2018). At the same time, employment in the official sector of the economy amounted to 5.41 million people, having increased by 176,300 people (3.4%) due to growth in employment in sectors of the economy (by 92,200 people), as well as the number of entrepreneurs, working obtaining status ofa legal entity (for 76,900 people).

Employment in the informal sector remained at the same level as last year – 7.96 million people. At the same time, the number of temporary and seasonal work (by 41.9 thousand people) increased, while the number of people employed without formalizing labor relations and engaging in entrepreneurial activities without a permit was generally slightly reduced (by 3.6 thousand).

The number of economically inactive population was 4.18 million people (an increase of 1%) due to an increase in women on maternity leave, or care for children under the age of 2 years (50.3 thousand people), despite a slight decrease in voluntarily unemployed persons (by 8,700 people.).

The survey results show that the number of persons who left to work outside the republic has slightly decreased (19.4 thousand people) and is 2.36 million people.

In January-March 2019, 173,265 persons turned to labor agencies (among whom young people aged 16–30 are 61,880), out of those who applied for employment - 61,983 persons, involved in public works - 49,016, sent for vocational retraining - 6,977, unemployment benefit was granted to 3,863 persons.