The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS ) reported last week that the unemployment rate in the fourth quarter of 2005 continued to drop to 8.8%, compare to 8.9% in the third quarter of 2005
According to the CBS for the first time in a decade, the unemployment rate in 2005 dropped to 9%, or 247,000 jobless, compared to 10.4% during 2004.
Statistical analysis published by the CBS show that the unemployment rate was 8.9% in the third quarter of 2005, 9.9% in the fourth quarter of 2004, and 10.9% in the fourth quarter of 2003. It also shows that the unemployment rate fell 7.1%, or 18,800 persons within a year.
From the peak of 296,000 unemployed at the height of the intifada two years ago, the number of unemployed has fallen 17.5%, or 52,000 persons.
The unemployment rate for men decreased to 8.5% from 9.5%, while the unemployed women percentage went down from 11.4% to 9.5% during the year.
The number of people who joined the work force increased in 2005 by 2.3% compared to 2004 and reached 2.74 million people.
It was also noted that Israel’s workforce expanded last year by 93,000, of which 54,000 full-time jobs and 39,000 part-time.
