Unemployment at record high in Jersey

Unemployment in Jersey is at the highest level ever recorded, new figures revealed today show.

There were 1,500 people out of work in October this year - that is 130 higher than a month earlier.

New Chief Minister Ian Gorst said getting islanders back into work was his and the States' highest priority and today unveiled a £4 million employment scheme to get islanders back into work.

He said the scheme - which would give those registered as unemployed more advice and increase their skill levels - would be paid for by underspend in States departments.

Other concerning trends in the figures show that unemployment among young people accounts for a third of all those registered as unemployed.

Long term unemployment has more than doubled in the last year - from 130 in October 2010 to 300 this October.

*The figures for unemployed refer only to those people who are registered as unemployed and actively seeking work with the Social Security Department (from CTV)

its the same as in guernsey too many eastern europeans coming in to the island for work.its even more sickening that a true guernsey person has a stamp in their passport that stops them working in eu countries except for the uk .

Not quite the same, we have almost no unemployment, just a few hundred who are unwilling or unable to work.

Even with 1500 unemployed, the figure is still lower than the minimum that economists think are needed for a stable economy.