(according to the Labour Force Sample Survey)  ¹⁾

2,57 million Slovaks were employed in the domestic economy and abroad, the employment reached 73 %.

According to the Labour Force Sample Survey, employment rose also in the second quarter of this year, in the domestic economy or abroad, 2 569,9 thous. persons were employed, in total. The year-on-year growth of employment reached 0,5 %. Compared with the 2^nd quarter of 2018, the growth rate slowed down by 0,7 p.p. The number of the employed ²⁾ rose by 13,9 thous. in absolute terms. The employment rate  2) rose by 1 p.p. to 73 %. After excluding the number of the employed abroad, employment in Slovakia increased by 1,1 % to 2 442,2 thous. persons.

Compared with the 1^st quarter of 2019, the seasonally adjusted total employment decreased by 0,5 %, to 2 576,1 thous. persons.

The highest share of the total employment was recorded in industry (26,7 %), trade (11,9 %) and construction (9,5 %) in terms of sectors. There was a higher number of employees in construction by 4,6 thous., their number rose by 8,5 thous. persons in industry. As for sectors of services, the employment growth was affected mainly by the increases in education by 21,2 thous. and in professional, scientific and technical activities by 13,6 thous. There was a favourable development in agriculture, after a long-term decrease, employment rose for the second quarter in a row by 14,2 thous. persons, year-on-year.

In terms of structure of the employed, the total employment growth was affected by higher number of entrepreneurs  ³⁾   by 20,3 thous. (by 5,4 %), their number reached 393,8 thous. The number of employees decreased to 2 173,9 thous. persons, due to a lower number of people performing activation works and work by agreement. After excluding these people, the number of contract employees rose by 0,6 % or by 12,9 thous. to 2 110,8 thous.

Age structure of the labour market changed in favour of employees aged 60 and older, with an increase by 17,1 % (by 26 thous. persons and more) and in the age group 35-49, with a 1,8 % increase. Employment decreased in other age groups, especially in the young age group 15-24 by 13,8 % (drop by 22,4 thous. persons).

The number of the employed increased year-on-year, almost in all regions, mainly in Bratislavský kraj (by 1,5 %) and Prešovský kraj (by 1,2 %). There was a decrease in Trenčiansky kraj (by 1,1 %).

In the first half of 2019, on average, the total employment increased year-on-year by 1,2 % to 2 579,2 thous. persons.

People working abroad

According to the LFSS ⁴⁾ the employed working abroad for less than one year decreased also in the 2^nd quarter of 2019 and their number reached 127,7 thous. persons.  Compared with 2^nd quarter of 2018, their number decreased by 8,7 % (by 12,1 thous. persons), the dynamics of decrease speeded up by 2 p.p.

Those employed abroad worked mostly in industry (34,4 thous. persons), in construction (31,2 thous. persons) and in health and social work activities (25,7 thous. persons). Despite the overall decrease by 10,3 thous. persons, the most Slovak citizens were employed in Austria (40,2 thous. persons). Within European countries, besides Austria, a great number of Slovaks also worked in the Czech Republic (29,2 thous. persons) and Germany (23,9 thous. persons). In terms of regions, the highest number of the employed working abroad was from Prešovský kraj (27 thous.).

In the 2^nd quarter of 2019, the number of job vacancies ⁶⁾ decreased by 2 178 (9 %), on average, to 22 156. Their number dropped, absolutely the most, in manufacturing (by 950), in wholesale and in retail trade (by 589), in accommodation and food service activities (by 425) and in construction by 423). Job vacancies increased mostly in health and social work activities (by 429).