Malta records EU’s largest year-on-year increase in unemployment

Malta recorded the largest year-on-year increase in the unemployment rate in the European Union, rising by 1 percentage point over the span of a year.

According to the latest Eurostat statistics, Malta’s unemployment rate increased from 2.5 per cent to 3.5 per cent. This was followed by increases of 0.7 percentage points in Luxembourg and 0.6 percentage points in France, Austria and Finland.

The only larger increase recorded in the figures was in Iceland, where the unemployment rate rose by 1.5 percentage points. Iceland is a European country but is not a member of the European Union.

Malta also saw a significant increase in youth unemployment, with the rate rising from 7.5 per cent to 9.8 per cent in the past year.

At European level, Eurostat reported that, compared with July 2025, the number of unemployed youths increased by 29,000 in the European Union and by 40,000 in the euro area.

Overall, the unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percentage points in both the euro area and the European Union.

According to the latest unemployment statistics published by the NSO, clerical support workers were the most sought-after occupation, with demand increasing by 2.8 per cent over the past two years. The second-largest increase was recorded among managerial positions.