Slight increase in unemployment within the region

According to the latest data, collected in June 2020, unemployment (measured as the share of unemployed persons) reached 5.4 % in the Moravian-Silesian Region. Compared to the numbers from May, this is an increase of 0.1 %. As for the districts, there is the highest month-on-month increase in the districts of Ostrava and Karviná, where unemployment has increased by 0.3%. In contrast, the districts of Opava and Bruntál have remained unchanged.

The consequences of regulations related to COVID-19 disease are reflected in the development of unemployment, however, the growing trend in the number of unemployed people that was observed in April and May 2020 has eased during the month of June. This trend can be probably explained by the decrease of foreign workers (especially employees from neighbouring Poland and Slovakia), the reduction in the number of agency workers and the increase in seasonal jobs. However, it is likely that unemployment will increase in the coming months due to the end of seasonal work or as a result of school graduates entering the labour market.

The development of unemployment in the Moravian-Silesian Region and the Czech Republic is shown in the following graph.

Source: Moravian-Silesian Employment Pact