(according to Labour Force Sample Survey) ¹⁾

Economic growth contributed to a maintenance of positive trends at labour market over the whole year of 2018. The employment level according to the Labour Force Sample Survey (LFSS) recorded new historical maximum,  the dynamics of its growth speeded up by 0,8 p.p. to 1,9 % compared with the 4^th quarter of 2017.  The number of the employed   ²⁾ rose by 49,1 thous. in absolute terms to 2 589,3 thous. persons. Compared with the 3^rd quarter of 2018, the seasonally adjusted total employment increased by 15,4 % (by 0,6 %) to 2 587,8 thous. persons. After excluding the number of persons employed abroad, the employment in Slovakia increased by 2,6 % to 2 451,6 thous. persons.

Total employment growth was affected mostly by increase in the number of employees by 45,2 thous. (by 2,1 %) to 2 202,4 thous. persons. The number of  entrepreneurs 3) also rose by 4 thous. (by 1 %) to 385,9 thous, as a result of increase in the number of entrepreneurs without employees by 7,5 thous. to 310,4 thous. of persons. The number of entrepreneurs with employees decreased by 3,6 thous. to 75,4 thous. persons.

The employment rose, year-on-year, mostly in the sector of services with growth by 55,3 thous. (by 3,6 %) to 1 595,9 thous. persons. The employed persons increased mostly in trade by 18,2 thous., transportation and storage by 11,8 thous. and in education by 11,6 thous. persons. The employment growth continued in construction, year-on-year, by 2,4 thous. persons to 243 thous. persons. The number of employed rose in manufacturing by 5,8 thous. persons. The employment decrease continued in agriculture in the 4^th quarter of 2018 as well, the number of the employed dropped by 4,3 thous. persons to 59,4 thous. persons.

Compared with the 4^th quarter of 2017, the employment rate of persons in the age group 20-64  4) increased by 1,8 p.p. to 73,1 %. The employment rate of men rose by 2,1 p.p. to 79,8 % and the employment rate of women by 1,4 p.p. to 66,3 %.

In the 4^th quarter of 2018, educational composition of labour market changed as a result of increases in majority of categories, at most in favour of the employed persons with university education. They became the second most numerous category at labour market (26,6 %) due to growth by 58 thous. persons. The employed persons with full secondary  education with school leaving examination (33,6 %) were the most represented education category, their number rose by 32,3 thous.. The highest decrease of the employed was recorded in the category of persons with secondary vocational education without school leaving examination by 44,2 thous. persons.

The labour market was affected by increases in majority of age categories, mostly the employed in the age group 35-49 by 29,3 thous. persons. The number of the employed decreased only in two age categories, i.e. 55-59 by 6,3 thous. persons and 15-24 by 3,9 thous. persons.

The employment increased in majority of regions, at most in Košický kraj (by 3,9 %) and in Bratislavský and Žilinský kraj (equally by 3,8 %). The employment rate was higher, year-on-year, in majority of regions, but most fastest growth was in Žilinský kraj (by 3,1 p.p.) and Košický kraj (by 3 p.p.).. The highest employment rate was recorded in Bratislavský kraj (80,5 %).

In 2018, the employment rose, year-on-year, by 1,4 % to 2 566,7 thous. persons, on average.

According to the LFSS ⁵⁾, 137,7 thous. persons was employed abroad in short-term. Compared with 4^th quarter of 2017, their number decreased by 12,1 thous. persons (by 8,1 %). The employed in construction (36,8 thous. persons), in industry (32,3 thous. persons) and in health and social work activities (25,6 thous. persons) represented the highest number among migrants. In terms of age structure, the category of the employed in the age 35-44 prevailed, their share in the employment abroad represented 27,7 %. In European countries, the most Slovak citizens were employed in Austria (42,1 thous. persons) and in the Czech Republic (32,7 thous.). In terms of regions, the number of the employed working abroad increased only in Banskobystrický kraj (by 3,5 thous. persons) and Žilinský kraj (by 1,5 thous. persons). On the contrary, it decreased most considerably in Prešovský kraj (by 7,1 thous. persons).

In the 4^th quarter of 2018, compared with the 4^th quarter of 2017,  27 159 job vacancies  ⁶⁾ was recorded, on average, in the SR economy, their number increased by 3 470 posts (by 14,6 %).  Job vacancies increased mostly in construction (by 1 388 posts) and in wholesale and retail trade (by 1 128). The offered job vacancies decreased, year-on-year, in five activities, the most considerably in public administration, social security (by 803 posts) and in manufacturing (by 520 posts).