Registered Unemployment: May 2026
- The number of registered unemployed persons in May 2026 increased by 346 when compared to May 2025 and decreased by one when compared to April 2026.
- Males accounted for 63.7 per cent or 889 of the total registrants, while females accounted for 36.3 per cent or 507 registrants.
- Registered unemployment increased across all age groups when compared to May 2025.
- The number of persons with a disability registering for work decreased by 25 persons over the same period in 2025.
- Clerical support occupations remained the most commonly sought positions among the registered unemployed.
Registered Unemployment: May 2026
Registered Unemployment: May 2026
Data provided by Jobsplus for May 2026 indicate a year-on-year increase of 313 persons and 33 persons registering under Part I and Part II of the unemployment register, respectively (Tables 5 and 8). Males accounted for 63.7 per cent (889 persons) of total registrants, while females comprised 36.3 per cent (507 persons). Registered unemployment increased in all age groups, with the largest rise recorded among people aged 30 to 44 (Table 1).
A year-on-year increase was recorded across all registration duration categories. The largest rise occurred among persons registered for under 21 weeks, increasing by 259 persons. In contrast, those registered for over one year recorded a smaller increase of 16 persons (Table 2).
The number of persons with a disability registering for work decreased by 25 persons over the same period in 2025, reaching 199 persons. Males accounted for 68.8 per cent of total registrants with a disability (Table 3).
Clerical support workers represented the most sought occupation among persons on the unemployment register, accounting for 31.4 per cent of total registrations in May 2026, equivalent to 439 persons. This was followed by Technicians and associate professionals, who accounted for 16.0 per cent of total registrations, equivalent to 224 persons (Table 4).
Tables
Tables
Methodological Notes
1. This news release provides data on the number of persons registering for work with Jobsplus.
The National Statistics Office (NSO) publishes another set of statistics regarding unemployment based on the Labour Force Survey (LFS) on a quarterly basis. When compiling LFS statistics, the NSO adopts the International Labour Organisation (ILO) definition, an internationally agreed definition on unemployment. This definition has also been adopted by Eurostat and is used by all EU Member States. More details regarding the methodology used for the compilation of unemployment statistics from the LFS may be found in quarterly LFS news releases.
Since Jobsplus records and LFS results measure two different facets of unemployment, the resulting figures are not comparable. Users are therefore cautioned that these two sets of statistics should not be used interchangeably.
2. In April 2019, the NSO introduced a new set of EU-harmonised indicators on monthly unemployment based on the European Labour Force Survey (EC 577/1998). The legal basis for this indicator was updated in 2019, and from 2021, a framework regulation for European statistics relating to persons and households (EC 2019/1700), based on data at the individual level collected from samples, came into effect.
3. The monthly unemployment rates (Tables 11-13) from February 2026 do not feature in this release, as administrative data on the labour supply from this month onwards are not yet available.
4. ISCO 08 is being used to classify occupations sought by the registered unemployed. For more information, check the Structure of the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO-08).
5. Definitions:
• Registered unemployment rate: refers to the number of registered unemployed persons, both under Part I and Part II, as a percentage of the sum of the full-time registered employed and the total registered unemployed.
In computing the registered unemployment rates for the purpose of this release, only the full-time registered employed are taken into consideration. Persons employed on a part-time basis are not taken into account in this computation.
Registered unemployment rates are not comparable with LFS unemployment rates due to different sources of data collection. While LFS rates are based on sample survey estimates, registered unemployment rates are based on Jobsplus data (registered unemployment data and registered full-time employed).
• Long-term registered unemployment rate: refers to those people who have been registering for work for more than twelve months. The long-term unemployment rate is calculated by working out the number of the long-term unemployed under Part I as a percentage of the labour force.
• Part I of the unemployment register: those registering under Part I are either new job seekers who have left school, re-entrants into the labour market or individuals who have been made redundant by their former employers.
• Part II of the unemployment register: those registering under Part II are either workers who have been dismissed from work due to disciplinary actions, left work out of their own free will, refused work or training opportunities or were struck off the register after an inspection by Law Enforcement personnel.
• The Labour Supply/Labour Force: for the purpose of this release, the labour supply is the sum of the registered unemployed and the full-time gainfully occupied population (excluding part-time employment).
6. The data on unemployment levels is final and not normally subject to revision.
7. More information relating to this news release may be accessed at:
Statistical Concepts
Classification
8. A detailed news release calendar is available online.
