On 1 January 2022, the population of Hungary was 9 689 000, which is the result of a continuous decline, with a further decrease of 0.4% compared to the previous year.
Based on the Labour Force Survey data for the fourth quarter of 2022, the economically active population aged 15–74 numbered 4 891 400, giving an activity rate of 66.9%. Among the active population, 4 702 500 people were in employment, while 188 900 were unemployed.
In the fourth quarter of 2022, the employment rate of the population aged 15–74 was 64.3%, 0.4 percentage points higher than in the same quarter of 2021.
In the 15–74 age group, the number of unemployed persons, as defined by the ILO, showed a steady downward trend from January–March 2015. In the fourth quarter of 2022, the number of unemployed persons, as defined by the ILO, amounted to 188 900, an increase of 8 600 compared to the same period in the previous year.
The average month-end number of jobseekers registered by the National Employment Service (NFSZ) was 233 200 in the fourth quarter of 2022, representing a significant decrease compared to the same quarter of the previous year.
In the fourth quarter of 2022, 6.1% of jobseekers were first-time jobseekers. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, the number of first-time jobseekers slightly decreased (by 1.2 percentage points).
Of all jobseekers, 42.4% had eight or fewer years of primary school education, 25.3% held a certificate of vocational qualification, 25.1% held a general certificate of secondary education, and 7.3% had a higher education degree. Among first-time jobseekers, the proportion of those with eight or fewer years of primary education was 43.1%, 38.8% held a general certificate of secondary education, and 3.6% had a higher education degree.
The counties with the most jobseekers were Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén (35 300) and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg (24 400). Typically, in regions with less favourable labour market conditions, the composition of the jobseeker population by educational attainment was also worse than the national average. Compared to the same period of the previous year, the number of jobseekers fell, with the largest decreases seen in Baranya and Heves counties (14.0% and 7.0%, respectively).
During 2022, business organisations notified collective redundancy decisions affecting 6 300 workers in total, 44.5% more than in the same period last year.
Information on the number of available jobs can be obtained from the vacancies notified to the government offices. In 2022, employers notified 406 500 vacancies, 9.5% more than in the same period a year earlier. As in previous years, the job supply was heavily influenced by the demand for labour generated by the workfare scheme.
Of the 406 500 vacancies, 40.3% were related to instruments under the workfare scheme. In 2022, the number of vacancies notified from the primary labour market was 242 900, 13.6 percentage points higher than in the same period of the previous year.
Vacancies were notified from Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg and Hajdú-Bihar Counties. In 2022, the following occupations requiring qualifications were in the highest demand among jobseekers: shop sales person, general office administrator, heavy truck and lorry driver, mechanical machinery assembler, security guard, bodyguard, lifting truck operator, locksmith, bricklayer, waiter, and cook..
Budapest
The labour market of the capital city can be analysed based on data from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) for the third quarter of 2022. According to the latest labour market survey data, the capital’s population aged 15–74 included 912 600 economically active and 357 700 inactive people in the third quarter of 2022.
The activity rate was 71.8%, representing an increase of 1.6 percentage points compared to the same period of the previous year.
In the third quarter of 2022, the number of persons employed was 887 600 in the capital, 12 700 more than in the third quarter of 2021.
In the years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, Budapest had virtually reached a level close to full employment, and after the pandemic downturn, the figures improved to near pre-pandemic levels. A quarter (25.0%) of the national increase in employment (by 48 800) can be attributed to the capital.
The unemployment rate was 2.7%, 0.3% more favourable than in the same period of the previous year.
The capital’s unemployment, activity and employment rates were better than the national average, with the unemployment rate 0.9 percentage points lower, the activity rate 0.9 percentage points higher and the employment rate 5.5 percentage points higher.
The data of the National Employment Service (NFSZ) show stagnation in registered unemployment (the number of jobseekers).
Based on the records of the employment departments of the district offices, the number of registered jobseekers in the capital was 17 413 at the end of 2021 and 17 603 a year later, which means an increase of 1.1% in 1 year.
In December 2022, 42.3% of registered jobseekers were men, and 57.3% were women.
The number of registered first-time jobseekers decreased to 469 from 662 in the same period of 2021. While this group accounted for 2.73% of all registered jobseekers in 2021, only 1.91% belonged to it in the same period of 2022.
Pest County
Central Hungary is the most economically significant and developed region in Hungary. It comprises the capital city of Budapest and Pest County. According to data from the KSH Labour Force Survey, the economically active population in the 15–74 age group amounted to 689 500 persons in Pest County in the third quarter of 2022, representing an increase of 9 700 compared to the same period of the previous year.
The activity rate increased by 0.4 percentage points to 68.6%, one of the highest activity rates in the country, over 1 year.
The number of employed persons was 674 000, while 15 500 were unemployed, and the unemployment rate was 2.3%.
The economically inactive population aged 15–74 numbered 316 300.
The county had an employment rate of 67%.
The data of the National Employment Service indicate a decrease in unemployment in 2022. The number of registered jobseekers was 18 000 in the third quarter of 2022, 1 000 persons less than in the same period of the previous year.
Following a 27% decline from the same period of the previous year, the average number of first-time jobseekers registered in Pest County was 607 in the third quarter of 2021. First-time jobseekers accounted for 3.3% of all registered jobseekers in the quarter under review, 0.7 percentage points lower than in the same period of the previous year.
The number of jobseekers aged under 25 was 1 232 in the period under review, representing a decrease of 16% compared to the same period of the previous year. The proportion of jobseekers under 25 among all jobseekers fell by 1 percentage point to 6.7% compared to the same period of the previous year.
By level of education, jobseekers with secondary education had the highest (54%) proportion, while those with primary school and higher education accounted for 35.35% and 10.5%, respectively, of all registered jobseekers.
Budapest
In December 2022, 18 241 vacancies were registered by the employment departments of the district offices of the Budapest Government Office.
Employers notified the most vacancies in the policing, industrial, services, hospitality and trade sectors, but operators in the construction and agricultural sectors also submitted many vacancy notifications.
In December 2022, the highest number of vacancies (listed in descending order of the number of workers required) were the following in Budapest: police officer, kitchen helper, other simple service and transport worker not elsewhere classified, simple industry worker, cleaner and helper in offices, hotels and other establishments, and heavy truck and lorry driver.
Pest County
In the past year, employers notified approximately 23 000 new vacancies in Pest County.
In 2022, 22.4% of all notifications concerned subsidised jobs.
The non-subsidised jobs notified were mostly (elementary) occupations not requiring qualifications, such as simple industry occupation, cleaner and helper in offices, hotels and other establishments, assembler of other products, other simple construction industry occupation, heavy truck and lorry driver, mechanical machinery assembler, simple agricultural labourer, kitchen helper, and freight handler.
In 2022, most vacancies were available to jobseekers in the districts of Gödöllő, Vác and Monor.
Budapest
In December 2022, the occupations in the highest demand among registered jobseekers included general office administrator, cleaner and helper in offices, hotels and other establishments, and shop assistant; and a significant number of jobseekers wished to work as a door-keeper, gate-keeper, simple guard, kitchen helper, or other cleaner and helper.
It can be seen from the above that there is a high degree of overlap between the notified vacancies and the jobs sought by registered jobseekers, so theoretically, these vacancies cannot represent a labour shortage. However, having the necessary qualification or specifying a job as the one sought may not be enough to fill a vacancy, but other skills and competences may also be required. The needs and expectations of employers and employees do not always coincide in this respect.
Pest County
In Pest County, the average monthly number of newly registered jobseekers was 2 396 in the past year.
Based on the available data, unemployment appears significant in commercial and service occupations and (elementary) occupations not requiring qualifications.
The occupations most in demand among jobseekers were the following: other simple service and transport occupation not elsewhere classified, shop assistant, general office administrator, cleaner and helper in offices, hotels and other establishments, heavy truck and lorry driver, other cleaner and helper, simple industry occupation, freight handler, security guard, bodyguard, and kitchen helper.
Fejér County
Fejér County is located in Transdanubia; its capital is Székesfehérvár. Fejér County is one of the most diverse counties in Hungary. Covering an area of 4 359 km², Fejér County is divided into 10 statistical sub-regions and 8 employment districts. There are currently 108 municipalities in the county, including 17 towns, two of which have county rights. The county’s geographic and geo-economic position and settlement pattern largely determine the opportunities for the population to earn a living. On 1 January 2021, the county had a population density of 96 inhabitants per square kilometre, exceeding the national average outside Budapest and making the county one of the most densely populated areas in Hungary.
After a slight increase of 146 persons over 1 year, the population of Fejér County numbered 418 600 at the beginning of 2022. 14.7% of the county’s inhabitants are under 14, 65.3% are aged 15–64, and 20.0% are 65 or older. Both child and old-age dependency ratios are rising in the county. Following a rise from 28 in 1995 to 25 in 2001 and then a fall to 21 in 2012, the number of children per 100 people of working age increased by 23 in 2022 thanks to a slight and continuous growing tendency. The dependency ratio is 53.1%, which is more favourable than the regional and national ratios. In 2022, the ageing index in Fejér County was 136.0%, lower than the regional index. At the beginning of the year, 274 800 people, or nearly two thirds of the population, were of working age.
According to data from the Labour Force Survey of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), the number of economically active persons aged 15–74 in Fejér County was 219 700 in the first three quarters of 2022, 6 600 higher than in the previous year. Accordingly, the activity rate was 68.2%. Meanwhile, the number of people in employment increased, as did the number of the unemployed. In the third quarter of 2022, the number of persons employed was 214 400, which is 6 200 persons more than in the same period of the previous year. The employment rate was 66.6%, higher than a year earlier and 2.3 percentage points above the national average (64.3%). The number of unemployed was 5 300, 300 more than a year earlier. The unemployment rate reached 2.4 %, 1.2 percentage points below the national level. The economically inactive population aged 15–74 numbered 102 300.
The number of jobseekers registered for Fejér County in the system of the National Employment Service on the closing day in December 2022, as a result of the turnover over the year, was 7 181, about 6% less than a year earlier.
In 2022, the number of registered jobseekers increased by around 500 in three months from 7 630 in December 2021, peaking at 8 110 in March, and then fell back to 7 285 in June, following a steady decline in the second quarter. From July, their numbers rose slightly to 7 599 in September, then declined again to 7 324 in October and continued to fall to 7 181 in December. In 2022, the month-end number of registered jobseekers averaged 7 497, more than a tenth (12% or 1 021) lower than the average of the monthly data for 2021.
In 2022, first-time jobseekers accounted for an average of 4.4% (328 people per month) of all jobseekers registered in the county. Their number was significantly lower than in the previous year, resulting from a decline of 128 (28.1%) and representing a 1.0 percentage point lower proportion among all registered jobseekers. In each month of the year, the number of first-time jobseekers was lower than in the previous year, with their number below 300 in the middle of the year, reaching the lowest level in May (271) and the highest number recorded in February (412).
Komárom-Esztergom County
According to data from the KSH Labour Force Survey for the first three quarters of 2022, the population aged 15–74 in the county numbered 229 800, of which the economically active population was 156 700. The number of persons employed was 152 200. The ratio of active people to their age group was 68.5%, while that of employed people was 67.0%.
Most of the population lives in towns and urban areas and typically works in industrial park districts and companies. For these people, access to jobs is ensured thanks to the county’s developed transport networks and infrastructure. Many employers provide company bus transport for employees living in small villages. The number of commuters is significantly influenced by labour market opportunities in the neighbour counties, geographical proximity and ease of access. Due to the frontier location, workers from this county are also present in the labour market of the neighbouring country. In recent years, the number of third-country nationals working in the county has increased markedly because employers are trying to solve the labour shortage in this way.
Regarding the educational level of the workforce, the number of those holding a higher education degree or a general certificate of secondary education is below the national average, which shortfall is not helped even by the fact that the companies operating in the county have a high number of semi-skilled employees trained by themselves.
The county’s key employment indicators show a highly favourable improvement compared to the previous year, exceeding the national level to a greater extent than a year earlier. The number of unemployed persons, as defined by the ILO, was 2 500 in the county, giving an unemployment rate of 1.6%. The difference between the county and national unemployment rates also increased compared to the previous year, with the former already 2.1 percentage points lower than the latter.
According to data from the National Employment Service, at the end of 2022, the number of jobseekers registered in the county was 4 477, accounting for 2.9% of the economically active population. Over the entire year, the number of registered jobseekers decreased by 5.1%, or 241, resulting in an improvement of 0.4 percentage points in their proportion of the economically active population. This means that the county’s key labour market indicators were not only significantly below their pre-COVID March 2020 levels but were also lower than 3 years earlier, the most favourable data recorded for 2019.
There is a high share of foreign direct investment, and multinational companies have a dominant presence. The companies operating in the county produce to a large extent for foreign markets, so there is a high share of exports, which increases exposure to world market processes. The manufacturing sector is the most important in the county’s economic structure, with several large companies with which the Government has strategic agreements. The number of people employed in this sector is steadily increasing.
The demand for labour from companies operating in the county remained significant, with an overall increase of more than 1 500 in staff numbers by some large and medium-sized companies, typically in the manufacturing industry, in 2022. However, the related demand for labour was barely reflected in the notifications. As employers can no longer satisfy their needs from the pool of jobseekers, they tend to choose other ways of recruiting and selecting suitable workers.
Veszprém County
Veszprém County is located in the Central Transdanubia Region and is one of the nation’s medium-sized counties. The county has a population of 339 300 inhabitants in 217 municipalities in 10 districts. From a labour market point of view, it has good characteristics, such as a favourable economic environment, easy access, high entrepreneurship, significant foreign investment, a highly educated population, and employment and unemployment rates above the national average. The labour market situation in the county is determined by the differing economic, social and geographical environments and local conditions in its 10 districts. In terms of economic performance and employment, the manufacturing sector and, within it, the automotive industry is of outstanding importance. Because of the proximity of the county to Lake Balaton, tourism also plays an important role.
Although the emergence of the pandemic has led to a temporary downturn in the labour market, the number of people in employment is now above the level of the year before the pandemic. According to the data published by the KSH for the population aged 15–74,
there were 165 600 employed persons in the county’s labour market, and the employment rate was 64.3%, the same as the national rate, in the third quarter of 2022. The number of unemployed persons (2 700) is still above the pre-pandemic level, although the temporary significant increase has reduced. Nevertheless, the county still has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, which was 1.6% in the third quarter of 2022.
The number of jobseekers registered at the Veszprém County Government Office showed a similar trend: after a sharp increase during the epidemic, the number of jobseekers has gradually declined. In the third quarter of 2022, the average number of registered jobseekers was 6 125, representing 3.6 % of the active population aged 15–74. Both the number and proportion of jobseekers showed a decrease compared to the same period of the previous year. Based on the indicators for the 10 districts of the county, the labour market situation is better than the national average in eight districts and worse in two. On the closing day in September 2022, the gender distribution of registered jobseekers was equal. The proportion of first-time jobseekers and young people, mainly under 25, among registered jobseekers continued to decline, while the number of older people in the register (over 50) increased compared to before. The pandemic has led to an increase in the proportion of long-term jobseekers in recent years. Half of those registered cannot find a job for more than six months.
On the closing day in September 2022, a third of jobseekers had no more than a primary school education, while 42.7% of those registered had no qualifications.
Fejér County
The employment departments received a total of about 11 249 notifications of new vacancies during the year, which means that the monthly average of new vacancies notified by employers was 937 in the county. Compared to 2021, this was around 3 300 or two-fifths more than the annual value and 273 more than the monthly average. The number of notifications received was the highest in March (1 324) and the lowest in January (396).
On a monthly average, 603 of the new notifications concerned non-subsidised jobs, which is 261 more than the monthly average for the previous year and accounts for an average of 64.4% of all new vacancies notified during the year. The average monthly number of subsidised jobs available was 334, nearly the same as in the previous year (323). However, their total annual number exceeded 4 000. Specifically, there were 4 011 subsidised jobs available.
Within these, contrary to the previous year, subsidised jobs outside the workfare scheme outnumbered those under it, accounting for slightly over half (50.3%) of the subsidised jobs notified. This also indicates a slightly diminished role of subsidised jobs available under the workforce scheme, which had a somewhat lower share within the total number of subsidised jobs notified.
Among the newly notified vacancies, the majority (1 076) were simple industry occupations, followed by other simple service and transport occupation not elsewhere classified (869), simple construction industry occupations (855), and other cleaner and helper (774).
Komárom-Esztergom County
In total, 13 205 jobs available to registered jobseekers were notified during the year. These included 6 761 so-called normal jobs (51.2%), 2 080 subsidised jobs (15.8%) and 3 505 jobs for foreign workers (26.5%). More than a third of the available normal jobs, representing a demand for 2 453 workers, were in manufacturing, and a significant number (1 455 or 21.5%) of the notifications submitted by temporary work agencies also specifically concerned workers sought for the manufacturing industry.
Based on the composition of the available normal jobs by occupation, the greatest demand was for various production line assembly workers and simple industry workers, most of whom were intended to be employed for similar work, representing a total demand for 2 079 workers. The notified vacancies also included simple unskilled jobs (for 972 workers). In the manufacturing industry, machine operators were sought for 791 jobs, most of them (112) specified as metal finishing and coating machine operators. The demand for skilled industry and construction workers was divided among several specific occupations, with the demand for fitters of building electric networks and electric fitters (86) standing out. In addition, around 80 vacancies for bricklayers and water, gas and heating pipe fitters were notified. Concerning other areas of the economy, only the number of shop assistant vacancies (212) merits special mention. Of the vacancies notified to obtain authorisation for the employment of foreign workers, the majority (69.7%) were simple blue-collar occupations and jobs to be filled by semi-skilled workers (2 444), while 770 were for skilled blue-collar workers. The latter notifications were mainly for the employment of skilled welders and flamecutters (264) and heavy truck and lorry drivers (213).
Veszprém County
The labour market in the county is characterised by a predominance of labour demand, with employers tending to struggle to fill vacancies. The shortage of quality labour is a serious challenge that cannot be overcome without employing foreign nationals. Businesses have a demand for highly skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers alike. The share of open labour market demand is increasing year on year. In 2022, three quarters of all vacancies were notified from the primary labour market. At the same time, the role of the workfare scheme is declining. In total, employers notified 9 236 vacancies during the year and intended to fill nearly half of these without using subsidies.
Within the county, the demand for labour was the greatest in the employment area around Ajka, Pápa and Veszprém, with the most workers needed by manufacturing, construction, accommodation and catering and commercial businesses. Half of the notified vacancies were simple unskilled jobs.
Fejér County
In 2022, around 14 000 new jobseekers were registered in Fejér County. The occupations most sought after by newly registered jobseekers included the following: general office administrator (1 068), shop assistant (1 027), other simple service and transport occupation not elsewhere classified (858), mechanical machinery assembler (599), cleaner and helper in offices, hotels and other establishments (484), heavy truck and lorry driver (393), other cleaner and helper (375), lifting truck operator (341), kitchen helper (313), other simple construction industry occupation (283), freight handler (239), security guard, bodyguard (214), locksmith (191), materials manager, purchasing agent (177), cook (174), babysitter, nurse (170), simple industry occupation (153), other manufacturing machine operator not elsewhere classified (149), welder and flamecutter (131), waiter (129), bartender (129), other office, management occupation, not elsewhere classified (114), door-keeper, gate-keeper, simple guard (113), agricultural and industrial machinery (engine) mechanic and repairer (112), car driver (111), fitter of building electric network, electric fitter (106), sales administrator (105), finance administrator (101), etc.
A significant oversupply of labour is likely to be found in various product manufacturing sectors in the manufacturing industry and mainly in the trade and vehicle repair sectors in material services, and there are also a large number of jobseekers in the fields of professional, scientific, technical and administrative activities within non-material services.
Komárom-Esztergom County
During the year concerned, 10 660 persons became registered jobseekers in the county, with the overwhelming majority of whom (10 062) registered after losing their jobs. As part of collective redundancies in the manufacturing sector, staff and job cuts involving 218 employees were announced in the county during the year.
One tenth (1 152) of the newly registered jobseekers were production line assembly workers, and another tenth (1 122 people) were unskilled workers looking for simple jobs. They were followed by those in commercial occupations, numbering 764 in total and including predominantly shop assistants. 325 jobseekers wished to work as a lifting truck operator and 391 as a lorry driver, while only a few (146 persons) applied for manufacturing machine operator vacancies. The number of skilled metalworkers reached 293, including 152 locksmiths and 117 welders. Of all registered jobseekers, 2 439 sought white-collar jobs, with the highest number (876) applying for administrative office jobs.
Veszprém County
In 2022, jobseekers who had only completed a primary school or had not even completed a primary school had a combined average proportion of 33.6% among all jobseekers registered in the county. 31.5% of jobseekers held a certificate from a skilled workers’ training school or a vocational school and 16.8% from a vocational secondary school or a technical school, 9.4% had a general certificate of secondary education, and 8.7% had a higher education degree.
Before entered in the register, jobseekers typically had their last jobs in manufacturing or services and wished to find a new job, in most cases unskilled, in the same sector. In addition to these, the occupations most in demand were: shop assistant, general office administrator, cleaner in offices, hotels and other establishments, other cleaner, mechanical machinery assembler, lorry driver, kitchen helper, and waiter.
Győr-Moson-Sopron County
According to the 2022 year-end data of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), the county had a population of 479 347 inhabitants, 4.9 % of the country’s population. 5.4% of all people employed in Hungary lived in this county. As regards the gender composition of the population, 51.25% of the inhabitants were women, and 48.75% were men.
Based on the KSH Labour Force Survey, the number of employed persons increased, while the number of jobseekers decreased compared to a year earlier. In the third quarter of 2022, this county had the highest employment rate (79.6%), while its unemployment rate was 2.5%.
In the third quarter of 2022, 81.6% of the population aged 15–64, or 255 600 persons, were economically active in the county, which is 2.9% more than in the same period of the previous year. There were 249 000 employed persons in the labour market after their number increased by 2.1%, a rate higher than the national average.
In contrast to the improving employment rate, the number of unemployed increased by 46% to 6 000. The unemployment rate rose to 2.5% from 1.7% a year earlier but was still lower than the national average (3.7%). The simultaneous rise in employment and unemployment resulted from the entry of economically inactive persons in the labour market as active (employed or unemployed).
As in 2021, the Government’s main objectives in 2022 were to support the sectors most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, retain as many jobs as possible, create the same number of new jobs as those lost, and swiftly reintegrate people into the labour market after losing their jobs. To this end, the Government announced several job preservation and creation programmes, such as the workforce support programme for companies (VMT) and the regional workforce support programme for companies (VRMT). The main target groups of these programmes were disadvantaged jobseekers (low-skilled, over 50 years old, long-term unemployed). Under the two programmes, more than 1 200 people were supported and employed in the county.
Vas County
Most parts of the economy had recovered from the downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic by the beginning of 2022, but businesses had to face new challenges during the year.
Based on the KSH Labour Force Survey, 64.8% of the population aged 15–74, i.e. 127 400 economically active persons, 4 000 fewer than a year earlier, were present in the labour market in Vas County in the third quarter of 2022. Within the economically active population, the number of employed persons decreased by 3 300, and the number of unemployed declined by 800. The unemployment rate was 2.0%, and the employment rate reached 63.5%. This latter indicator was 0.8 percentage points below the national average.
The labour market situation remained positive, but businesses may face labour shortages. According to data from the National Employment Service (NFSZ), the number of registered jobseekers fell every month in 2022, although at varying rates, and stood at 3 760 in the third quarter, which is 11.9 % less than in the same period of the previous year.
34.6% of all jobseekers had at most 8 years of primary education, 28.3% held a certificate from a skilled workers’ training school, 8.4% from general secondary education, 20.5% from a vocational secondary school or a technical school, and 8.2% had a higher education degree.
In the third quarter of 2021, 5.2% of jobseekers, or a total of 195 people, were first-time jobseekers, 24.4 % fewer than a year earlier. Among first-time jobseekers, the proportion of those with a maximum of 8 years of primary education was 24.8%, 18.3 % held a certificate from a skilled workers’ training school, 13.9% had a general certificate of secondary education, 35.5 % held a certificate from a vocational secondary school or a technical school, and 7.5 % had a higher education degree.
Vas County is still among those with the most favourable labour market situation. Its monthly jobseeker rate was 2.9% on average, 0.4 percentage points lower than a year earlier and 2 percentage points more favourable than the national average.
This indicator improved in all areas of Vas County compared to the third quarter of the previous year.
The proportion of jobseekers is the highest (5.6 %), 2.7 percentage points less favourable than the county average, in the catchment area of Vasvár. Another area where the labour market situation is worse than that of the county is the surroundings of Celldömölk. In other districts, the value of this relative indicator is similar to or more favourable than that for the county.
Zala County
Similarly to the national population, the population living in the county has been decreasing steadily for many years. It numbered 264 300 on 1 January 2022.
Standing at around 168 000, the working-age population was less than two thirds of the total population. The age composition of the county’s population is slightly different from that of the national population. In Zala, the proportion of persons under 15 is 2 percentage points lower than the national value; the proportion of those aged 15–64 is one percentage point lower, while that of those over 64 is 3 percentage points higher.
Data on the employment situation are available primarily from the Labour Force Survey conducted by the KSH quarterly by interviewing the general public. Based on this, the average number of persons employed in Zala County in the third quarter of 2022 was 123 700, which is 4 000 fewer than a year earlier.
The employment rate in the third quarter was 74.6 %, 1.8 percentage points lower than in the third quarter of 2021, but exactly the same as the national average.
According to the survey, the number of unemployed was 5 900 in the third quarter of 2022, which is 1.6 thousand more than a year earlier. The unemployment rate increased from 3.2% to 4.6%, which is higher than the national average.
Although economic activity diminished in the county, its activity rate of 78.2% was still higher than the national rate in the third quarter of 2022.
According to the average data for 2022, the number of registered jobseekers in Zala County was the seventh lowest of all counties, while their proportion was more favourable in nine counties than in Zala. Considering the main data, the annual developments were overall more favourable in Zala than the national trends. Both the number and proportion of jobseekers decreased by more than the average.
In 2022, an average of 6 500 jobseekers, i.e. more than a thousand fewer than a year earlier, were registered in the county. The number of jobseekers decreased in all districts of the county. The rate of decrease was the largest in the Keszthely district, where the number of jobseekers decreased by nearly a third compared to the previous year. Due to the significant weight of accommodation and food service activities and tourism, the pandemic sharply increased the number of jobseekers in this district, so the base value was high.
In 2022, the average ratio of jobseekers to the economically active population was 5.0 %, 0.8 percentage points lower than a year earlier. In the areas around Lenti, Zalaszentgrót and Zalaegerszeg, the proportion of jobseekers is persistently lower than the average. However, in the Letenye and Nagykanizsa districts, this indicator has been above the county average for a long time.
In 2022, the scale of labour market transitions differed from those a year earlier. 11 000 new jobseekers were entered, and 11 300 jobseekers were removed from the register, the former being 700 more and the latter 900 fewer than in 2021.
Considering its economic indicators, Zala ranks in the middle among the counties. At the end of 2022, the number of businesses registered in the county was 53 100, of which 10 300 were partnerships and 42 800 were sole proprietorships. There were 200 businesses per 1 000 inhabitants, which is above the national average.
In 2022, contrary to the national growth trend, the volume of industrial production per site decreased by 10% in Zala County compared to the previous year.
According to the latest available preliminary territorial data for 2021, the per-capita gross domestic product (GDP) was HUF 4 094 000, significantly higher than in previous years. Based on this, Zala ranks 12th among the counties.
Győr-Moson-Sopron County
In the third quarter of 2022, the number of newly notified vacancies was 3 387 in the county, which represents an increase of 11.6 % compared to the same period of the previous year. The percentage distribution of the new vacancies was the following: 1. administrative and public administration activities (28%), 2. manufacturing (16%) 3. transport, storage (12%). In addition to these three sectors, trade, human health and social work activities and other service activities were also important. In September 2022, 1 387 new vacancies were notified, the highest number in the last year.
In the period under review, the following occupations were dominant among the notified vacancies: shop assistant, simple industry occupation, general office administrator and locksmith jobs. In addition, many notifications concerned social services assistant, cook and rubber products machine operator vacancies.
At the end of September 2022, 3 900 thousand unfilled jobs were registered in the county, 63% more than a year earlier. The labour market became even tighter, with the number of available jobs exceeding the number of jobseekers. The number of jobseekers per 10 vacancies (8) was the lowest in the country, 5 fewer than in September 2021.
Vas County
The demand for labour decreased in the county’s labour market in 2022. Employers notified 8 029 vacancies, 19.2 % fewer than the previous year.
The number of non-subsidised jobs declined by 24.2%, while subsidised jobs decreased by 3.5% compared to the previous year.
A significant number and proportion (22.6%) of workers were sought by businesses in the manufacturing industry. One in five notified vacancies was in the field of public administration. 5.1% of the notified vacancies were in the retail sector, 6.6% in the hospitality sector, 10.3% in the construction industry and 6.2% in organisations providing health and social services.
For 65,7% of the vacancies notified, employers required applicants to have at most basic education.
These vacancies were intended to be filled mainly with semi-skilled and unskilled workers. For the most part, the skilled workers sought by employers were cooks, seamstresses, shop assistants, electricians, waiters and locksmiths.
Zala County
In 2022, employers notified 4 200 new non-subsidised vacancies in the county, 1 300 fewer than a year earlier.
The demand for workers to fill non-subsidised jobs (more than 1 100) was the highest in manufacturing, and there was also a relatively high demand (over 700) in administrative and support services, mainly from temporary work agencies. Other sectors that submitted more vacancy notifications than others included accommodation and food service activities, transport and trade.
In addition to a significant number of vacancies in other elementary occupations, there was a relatively high demand for workers to fill the following non-subsidised jobs in the county during the year: assembler, lorry driver, masseur, shop assistant, waiter, bartender, cook, kitchen helper, locksmith and machining worker.
Győr-Moson-Sopron County
There were 3 177 registered jobseekers in the county at the end of September 2022 (1 662 women and 1 515 men). In contrast to the national average, the number of jobseekers increased by 1.4% compared to a year earlier, but the county had the lowest number of jobseekers per 1 000 inhabitants. 61% of jobseekers had not found a job for 3 months or less, while 22% had been looking for a job for more than a year. The number of long-term unemployed decreased by 2.7% compared to September 2021. The largest proportion (32%) of jobseekers held a general certificate of secondary education or a qualification as a technician, 31% had at most a certificate from a skilled workers’ training school or a vocational school, and 15% held a higher education degree. The proportion of jobseekers with a low level of education was 22%. The number of first-time jobseekers decreased by 43%, the largest percentage in the country.
Vas County
In 2022, there were 6 942 newly registered jobseekers, 1.5% more than a year earlier. Approximately 13% of newly registered jobseekers were registered as unemployed for the first time, but the overwhelming majority had been a jobseeker before.
Before becoming unemployed, 23.2% worked in manufacturing, 9.6% in trade, another nearly 10% in hotels and restaurants, 7% in construction and nearly 7% were employed by temporary work agencies.
The average month-end number of jobseekers was 3 883 in the county, with most of them (457) trying to find an unskilled job. In addition, the jobs sought most were shop assistant (275), mechanical machinery assembler (196), general office administrator (223), and cleaner and helper in offices, hotels and other establishments (226).
Zala County
In 2022, 11 000 new jobseekers were registered in the county. A total of 10% of the newly registered jobseekers applied for registration for the first time, while the rest had already been a jobseeker before. The jobs and occupations most in demand among the newly registered jobseekers were the following in descending order: simple unskilled jobs, shop assistant, office administrator, lorry driver, waiter, mechanical machinery assembler, cook, security guard, bartender, cabinet-maker, painter and decorator.
Baranya County
According to data from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), Baranya County has a population of 354 300 people. There are 301 municipalities in the county. Its settlement structure is characterised by the dominance of small villages (two thirds of the municipalities have fewer than 500 inhabitants). Among the 14 towns of Baranya, the county seat of Pécs stands out as the fifth largest town in the country with 143 500 inhabitants.
In the third quarter of 2022, the number of employed persons was 161 300, while the unemployed numbered 7 600. The employment rate (60.1%) and the activity rate (63.0%) were lower than the national average, the former by 4.2 percentage points and the latter by 3.8 percentage points. The unemployment rate was 4.5% at the county level and 3.6% at the national level. Compared to the same period of the previous year, the average number of employed persons increased by 3.9%, and the number of unemployed decreased by 9.8%.
In the first three quarters of 2022, an average of 87 500 persons were employed by businesses with more than 5 employees in Baranya County, representing an increase of 1.2% against the previous year, while the national growth was 2.1%.
In the third quarter of 2022, 58.2% of employees in Baranya County worked in the competitive sector, and 31.8% worked in the public sector, the former an increase of 4.1% and the latter a decline of 24.1% compared to the base period. With a share of 19.2% and a growth of 1.9%, manufacturing ranked first among the branches of economic activity. Education ranked second, with a share of 19.1% and an increase of 4.4%, and human health and social work activities ranked third, with a decline of 1.5% and a share of 13.0%. Agriculture accounted for less than 5% of employment, even though a quarter of registered operators are in this sector (whereas manufacturing companies, which provided jobs to a fifth of all employees, make up less than 5% of all businesses). Altogether, industry accounts for less than a quarter of total employment (23.4%, of which the share of manufacturing is 19%). The aggregate share of the trade and hospitality sectors, for example, is higher than that of agriculture and construction.
According to data from the National Employment Service (NFSZ), the average number of registered jobseekers in Baranya County was 12 438 in 2022, significantly lower (by 14.2% or 2 060) than the previous year.
The labour market situation of the county can be assessed based on the proportion of jobseekers. In the first three quarters of 2021, registered jobseekers represented 7.6 % of the economically active population as a monthly average, which exceeded the national average by 2.5 percentage points. Baranya’s average rate was the seventh highest in the national ranking.
Of all registered jobseekers, a monthly average of 839 were first-time jobseekers, 25.4 % (235) fewer than a year earlier. The national trend was similar (+24.0%). First-time jobseekers accounted for an average of 6.7% of all jobseekers, 1.1 percentage points lower than the previous year and 0.3 percentage points higher than the national average.
In September 2022, the number of registered businesses in the county was 61.9 thousand, 0.2% lower than a year earlier. The number of sole proprietorships was 46.5 thousand, while the number of partnerships was 15.4 thousand in Baranya. A quarter of businesses operated in agriculture, followed by real estate activities (12.8%), professional, scientific and technical activities (11.1%) and trade (8.8%). The share of industrial activities excluding construction merely reached 5%.
Somogy County
Following a decrease of 2 200 from the previous year, the population of Somogy County numbered 298 800 on 1 January 2022, 3% of the total population of the country.
According to data from the KSH Labour Force Survey for the third quarter of 2022,
134 900 persons of Somogy County’s population aged 15–74 were present in the labour market, 127 800 as employed and 7 100 as unemployed, with both groups growing by 500 persons each compared to the same period of the previous year.
The activity rate increased by 1 percentage point compared to the third quarter of 2021 (to 59.7%), coupled with a 0.7 percentage point increase in the employment rate (to 56.5%) and a 0.4 percentage point increase in the unemployment rate (to 5.3%). The indicators of Somogy County were worse than the national average.
Based on data from the National Employment Service, the average month-end number of jobseekers registered in Somogy County was 10 900 in the third quarter of 2022,
7% (800) lower than the same period of the previous year.
The ratio of registered jobseekers to the economically active population was higher than the national average, at 8.3%, showing a 1.2 percentage point decrease in 1 year.
On average, first-time jobseekers represented 8% of all jobseekers and numbered 884 in the third quarter of 2022, a decrease of 17.5% compared to the same period in 2021.
Tolna County
Tolna County is located in the south-eastern part of Transdanubia. It is bordered by Fejér County in the north, the River Danube in the east, Baranya County in the south and Somogy County in the west. On 1 January 2022, the county had a population of 211 100 inhabitants, 1.0 % fewer than a year earlier.
According to the latest data from the KSH Labour Force Survey, the economically active population in the 15–74 age group numbered 101 500 persons in Tolna County in the first three quarters of 2022, representing an increase of 400 compared to a year earlier. The activity rate grew by 1 percentage point and stood at 63.4% in the period under review. This was 3.4 percentage points below the national average. Following an increase of 0.5 percentage points over a year, the number of persons employed was 97 100, accounting for 60.7% of the population aged 15–74 in the first three quarters of 2022. The unemployed numbered 4 300, and the unemployment rate was 4.3%, compared to 3.5% a year earlier. With this rate, Tolna County ranked 10th among the Hungarian counties. (The national average unemployment rate was 3.6%.) The number of the economically inactive population aged 15–74 was 58 600, a decrease of 3.8% compared to the same period of the previous year.
According to data from the National Employment Service (NFSZ), the average number of jobseekers registered in Tolna County in the first three quarters of 2022 was 5 901, 14.2% fewer than the previous year. At the national level, the annual average number of jobseekers decreased by 13.6%.
In the first three quarters of 2022, the ratio of registered jobseekers to the economically active population was 5.9% in Tolna County, 5.0% higher than the national average and 1.2 percentage points lower than the county average for the same period of the previous year.
The number of registered first-time jobseekers decreased. Their average number was 430 in the first three quarters of 2022, 217 fewer than a year earlier. Their average proportion among all registered jobseekers was 7.3%, representing a decrease of 2.1 percentage points compared to the previous year.
Baranya County
In 2022, employers notified a total of 19 451 new vacancies to the employment departments in Baranya County, which was 11.0% fewer than in 2021. On average, 1 620 newly notified vacancies per month were thus available to jobseekers. The majority (77.1% or 15 121) of the new notifications concerned subsidised jobs, while only 4 330 non-subsidised jobs were available. This meant a significant growth of 68.2% in the number of available non-subsidised jobs and an increase of 1.1% in the number of available subsidised jobs compared to the previous year. Two thirds of the subsidised jobs notified were available under the workfare scheme.
The composition of the vacancies notified also reflected the dominance of the workfare scheme. Of all vacancies notified, simple service occupations accounted for 41.5%, while the highest-ranking skilled job in the top list was shop assistant in eleventh place with a share of 1.5%. Among non-subsidised jobs, metalworking ranked eighth with a share of 2.1%, cook jobs eleventh (1.6%), and locksmith and shop assistant jobs twelfth (1.5%).
Somogy County
In Somogy County, the total number of vacancy notifications registered during 2022 was 11 800, so an average of 1 000 jobs a month were available. The number of vacancies notified increased by 8% compared to 2021.
Employers applied for subsidies for almost four-fifths of the vacancies notified, or 9 300 job opportunities offered. 21.2% of the new vacancy notifications were submitted without applying for subsidies, offering non-subsidised employment opportunities for 2500 people in total.
Employers offered the most job opportunities (for 8 500 workers) in (elementary) occupations not requiring qualifications. These were followed by commercial and services occupations (for 900 workers), with the largest number of vacancies for shop assistants, bartenders, cooks and waiters. In addition, there was considerable demand for workers (700) in industry and construction industry occupations, especially in the following: painter and decorator, fitter of building electric network, electric fitter, bricklayer, agricultural and industrial machinery (engine) mechanic and repairer, and locksmith.
Tolna County
In the first three quarters of 2022, a total of 6 122 vacancies were notified by employers in Tolna County, which represents a decline of 315 against the previous year. The number of vacancies related to the workfare scheme increased by 4.8% to 2 529 in the first three quarters of 2022, compared to 2 413 a year earlier. Employers applied for subsidies for 73.5% (4 502) of the vacancies notified. The number of non-subsidised jobs decreased compared to the previous year and stood at 1 620 in the year concerned. Most of the notified non-subsidised jobs were in manufacturing (47.0%), construction (21.4%) and trade and repair of motor vehicles (10.1%). In all the other sectors, the proportion of non-subsidised jobs was below 10%.
Baranya County
In 2022, the monthly average number of jobseekers in Baranya County was 12 438.
11.4 % were under 25, 18.2% between 26 and 35, 18.6 % between 36 and 45, 22.1% between 46 and 55, and a very high percentage, 29.7%, were over 55.
The proportion of jobseekers with at most basic education was very high, accounting for 44.2% of all those registered. 50.3% of registered jobseekers had secondary education (28.5% had a skilled worker’s certificate, 13.0% a certificate from a vocational secondary school and 8.8% a general certificate of secondary education). The proportion of higher education degree holders was 5.5%.
Unskilled jobs were sought by most (5 264 jobseekers, 12.3 %). The second most sought-after occupation was shop assistant (883 jobseekers, 7.1%), followed by cleaner and helper in offices, hotels and other establishments (575 jobseekers, 4.6%), general office administrators (553 jobseekers, 4.4%) and kitchen helper (346 jobseekers, 2.8%). The skilled occupations sought by more than 100 jobseekers also included the following: lorry driver, bricklayer, security guard, locksmith, cook, waiter, painter and decorator, and social services assistant.
Somogy County
In 2022, Somogy County had an average of 11 500 jobseekers per month in the register, 10% fewer than a year earlier. Most jobs sought (5 500) were in (elementary) occupations not requiring qualifications. There was also a high demand for commercial and services occupations, with a large number of jobseekers (1 800) wishing to find jobs as a shop assistant, cook, waiter, security guard, bodyguard, babysitter, nurse, or bartender. These were followed industry and construction industry occupations, with 1 200 people seeking employment primarily as locksmiths, bricklayers, or painters and decorators.
Tolna County
In the first three quarters of 2022, there were 6 700 newly registered jobseekers in Tolna County, 1.0% fewer than in 2021. The average month-end number of jobseekers was 5 900 in the county, 2 400 of whom were seeking jobs classified as elementary occupations not requiring qualifications. In addition, the jobs sought by most jobseekers were other simple service and transport occupation not elsewhere classified (1 138), shop assistant (449), general office administrators (295), cleaner and helper in offices, hotels and other establishments (283), mechanical machinery assembler (180), other simple construction industry occupation (167), kitchen helper (166), other cleaner and helper (162), simple industry occupation (142), heavy truck and lorry driver (103), locksmith and bricklayer (94 each), lifting truck operator (80), welder, flame cutters (77), waiter (76), painter and decorator (74) and cook (72).
Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County
Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County is located in the north-east of Hungary. It has the second largest area and population in the country. On 1 January 2022, it had 626 000 inhabitants, 6.5 % of the national population.
Industry and manufacturing (the chemical, engineering, automotive and electronics industries) have long played a key role in the economy of the county, as have the tourist industry and the academic/educational sector, owing to the outstanding natural and cultural heritage of the region, and the role of other services is also growing steadily.
Based on data from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH) for the third quarter of 2022, the number of economically active persons aged 15–74 was 299 900 in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County, representing an increase of 5 500 compared to the same period of the previous year. The activity rate was 64.1% in the period under review. The number of persons employed also increased, by 9200, to 282 900 in the third quarter of 2022. The employment rate for the period under review is 60.5%. The number of unemployed decreased to 16 900 in the third quarter of 2022, and the unemployment rate was 5.6%, 1.4 percentage points lower than in the third quarter of 2021.
According to data from the National Employment Service, the employment departments of the district offices in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County were in contact with a monthly average of 35 200 registered jobseekers in the third quarter of 2022, fewer by 2 200, or 5.9%, than in the same period of the previous year (37 400). In 2022, the average monthly number of registered jobseekers was 35 300 thousand per month, also fewer than in 2021, by 2 800, or 7.4%.
According to data for the third quarter of 2022 (when the average monthly number of registered jobseekers was 35 200), 18 000 jobseekers (51.3%) had basic school education, 16 000 jobseekers (45.4%) secondary education and 1 200 jobseekers (3.3%) higher education. In terms of gender composition, men accounted for 49.4% and women for 50.6% of the total during the period under review. The average monthly number of first-time jobseekers was 3 000 in the third quarter of 2022, 8.7% of all registered jobseekers.
Heves County
At the beginning of 2022, Heves County had a population of 290 000 inhabitants (as estimated based on the latest census data). In the third quarter of 2022, the natural decrease of the population slowed down in the county, with the number of deaths exceeding the number of live births by 1 322 (in the third quarter of 2021, the negative natural change was 1 691 persons). The number of live births was 2.6% (54) lower, and the number of deaths was 11.2% (423) lower than the base value.
Based on the KSH Labour Force Survey, the number of persons employed within the population aged 15–74 was 129 200 in Heves County in the third quarter of 2022. The working population declined by 1 100, or 0.9%, compared to the third quarter of 2021 (while it increased by 1.0 % nationally). According to the data published on the KSH website, the number of unemployed was 7 300 in Heves County. Compared to the third quarter of 2021, their number increased by 3 200, or 77.0%, in the third quarter of 2022 (while it decreased by 6.0% nationally). The employment rate of the population aged 15–74 was 59.5% in Heves County (4.8 percentage points lower than the national average) in the third quarter of 2022, and the unemployment rate was 5.3%, with the national average standing at 3.6%. According to the data published by the KSH, in the third quarter of 2022, the unemployment rate was 3.0 percentage points higher in Heves County than in Budapest (2.3%).
The average monthly number of jobseekers registered in Heves County was 10 989 in the third quarter of 2022, 1 345 (10.9%) fewer than the monthly average of 12 334 in the third quarter of 2021.
With its unemployment rate of 8.2% based on the number of registered jobseekers, which is 3.2% above the national average, Heves County is a middle-ranking county. Of all jobseekers, 49.1% (5 392) had eight or fewer years of primary education. Their number fell by 269, or 4.8%, while their proportion among all jobseekers increased by 3.2 percentage points over a year. The proportion of jobseekers with eight or fewer years of primary education was the highest (66.7%) in the Heves district. The number of jobseekers with secondary education decreased by 923, or 15.5%, in the county compared to the third quarter of 2021. Their average monthly number was 5 041 in the third quarter of 2022, and their proportion among all jobseekers decreased by 2.5 percentage points to 45.9% over a year. The number of jobseekers holding a higher education degree was 556 in the county, 153 fewer than in the third quarter of 2021, and their proportion among all jobseekers decreased from 5.7% to 5.1%.
Nógrád County
Nógrád County has the second smallest area and population among the intermediate-level administrative units in the country. Most of its 131 municipalities have fewer than 1 000 inhabitants. The population of Nógrád County numbered nearly 185 600 at the beginning of 2022 but declined further, by 977, between January and September 2022 due to unfavourable demographic trends. Based on its key economic indicators, Nógrád County ranks last among the counties and also has significant labour market disadvantages. All of the county’s six sub-regions are less favoured areas.
In 2022, the county’s economy exhibited largely the same trends as the national economy. The key economic indicators improved in all areas in 2022. The performance of manufacturing and construction industry businesses grew in Nógrád County compared to 2021. Tourism experienced substantial growth in 2022. The number of nights spent in tourist accommodation establishments in Nógrád County exceeded those in the data for 2021, but the county still had much poorer figures than the national average. Investments implemented by businesses in Nógrád County in 2022 exceeded the figure for the previous year.
The dominant economic sector in Nógrád County is manufacturing and, within that, mechanical engineering.
The agricultural potential is less favourable than in other parts of the country. Considering contribution to employment, businesses operating in manufacturing and trade play a dominant role in the county. The most important ones, by district, are the following:
Salgótarján: Wamsler SE Rt, Magyarországi Hangszórógyártó Kft, Mitsuba Kft.
Balassagyarmat: MAHLE Compressors Hungary Kft, Prysmian MKM Kft.
Pásztó: EGLO Magyarország Kft, REINING TRANSPORT Kft, ALUTECH Kft.
Szécsény: TOMMY INVEST Elektronikai Kft., Palóc-Coop Zrt., Profilplast Kft.
Bátonyterenye: ALSTOM Hungary Kft, Besser Hungaria Kft, Viessmann Kft.
Rétság: Knaus Tabbert Kft, HI-LEX Kft, Interfa Bútoripari Kft, Hungary Enbi Kft.
In the third quarter of 2022, the employment rate of the population aged 15–64 was 69.7%, while the unemployment rate of the same age group was 8.2% in Nógrád County, both figures showing an improvement compared to the same period of 2021. The employment rate jumped from the second lowest to the third lowest nationally, while the unemployment rate remained the highest among the counties.
In the third quarter of 2022, the activity rate of the 15–64 age group grew by 1.3%, while the proportion of economically active persons increased by 0.2% compared to the same period of the previous year. The number of inactive persons decreased by 6.2% compared to the third quart r.of 2021.
According to data from the National Employment Service, the average monthly number of jobseekers registered in Nógrád County was 10 272 in 2022, 496 (4.6%) fewer than in 2021. The number of registered jobseekers slightly increased from January to March 2022 due to the slack season for employment and people returning from the workfare scheme. After that, there was no increase until September, when it was again related to the workfare scheme. The data on the average numbers of jobseekers indicate reductions in most groups of jobseekers over the year.
The average number of registered first-time jobseekers was 757 in 2022, 183 (19.5%) fewer than in 2021. The ratio of first-time jobseekers to all registered jobseekers was, on average, 7.4%, 1 percentage point higher than the national average. Most young jobseekers are unskilled and thus face a significant disadvantage in the labour market.
Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County
In 2022, the employment departments of the district offices in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County registered 54 300 new vacancies notified (including summer jobs for students), of which subsidised jobs amounted to 44 900 (82.7%). Most of the newly notified subsidised jobs were in the districts of Miskolc (8 200), Kazincbarcika (4 500), Edelény (4 400) and Ózd (4 200). The newly notified non-subsidised jobs were predominantly in the districts of Tiszaújváros (4 700) and Miskolc (2 600).
Heves County
The employment departments of the six district offices in Heves County received a total of 9 337 vacancy notifications in 2022, 7.4% less than in 2021, representing a demand for 750 fewer workers. Of the new vacancies registered, 79.9% (7 461) were notified for subsidised and 20.1% (1 876 jobs) for non-subsidised employment. Compared to the base value, the number of workers required to fill subsidised jobs decreased by 629, or 7.8%, and within that, the number of workers sought under the workfare schemes fell by 594, or 11.5%.
The number of new workers required in non-subsidised jobs was 1 876 in 2022. Of the non-subsidised jobs, 40.3% (756) were to be filled by skilled blue-collar workers, 31.0% (581) by unskilled workers, 11.5% (216) by semi-skilled workers and 17.2% (323) by white-collar workers.
The workers intended to be employed in non-subsidised jobs included 40 assemblers (6 in Gyöngyös and 34 in Eger), 169 simple transport and service workers (59 in Eger, 63 in Gyöngyös and 20 in Hatvan), 182 metal and electrical industry workers (95 in Eger and 56 in Gyöngyös), 315 unskilled industry, construction industry and agricultural workers (82 in Eger, 122 in Gyöngyös and 78 in Hatvan), 143 skilled commercial and catering workers (66 in Eger, 18 in Gyöngyös, 20 in Heves and 29 in Füzesabony), 97 cleaners (14 in Gyöngyös, 21 in Hatvan and 51 in Eger), 175 drivers and mobile machinery operators (84 in Eger, 65 in Gyöngyös and 11 in Hatvan ), 75 skilled building industry workers (26 in Eger, 13 in Füzesabony 14 in Heves and 15 in Hatvan), 86 manufacturing machine operators (22 in Füzesabony and 44 in Gyöngyös), 42 technicians (20 in Eger and 15 in Gyöngyös), 114 office clerks (47 in Eger, 18 in Gyöngyös and 22 in Hatvan) and 60 service workers (16 in Eger and 25 in Gyöngyös). Vacancies intended to be filled by workers with higher education qualifications are usually not notified to the district employment departments. In 2021, there were only 8 such notifications, concerning vacancies for technical, information technology and science related professionals.
Nógrád County
At the end of 2022, an employer in the district of Bátonyterenye decided to reduce the number of employees by 54, the reason for which was not specified by the foreign owner. This figure represented only 1.6% of the national figure. The staff reduction will be implemented in January 2023, and there is demand for the workers made redundant in both the district and the co-districts.
In 2022, the number of workers needed to fill vacancies in Nógrád County was 11 800, a tenth more than a year earlier. The increased demand came from both the primary labour market and the workfare scheme.
Of the new vacancies notified and registered, 6 800 (57%) were related to the workfare scheme, while demand in the primary labour market was slightly above 3 900, 45% of which were for subsidised jobs.
The intention to employ additional workers exceeded the 2021 level in both the productive sector (e.g. 1 063 in manufacturing and 470 in construction) and the material and non-material services sectors (e.g. 545 in trade, 214 in transportation and 294 in accommodation and food service activities).
The number of vacancies in the open labour market was the highest in the areas of Salgótarján (1 163) and Rétság (884) and the lowest in the district of Szécsény (347).
While more than half of the unfilled jobs notified from the market required no more than primary school education, 42.6% were only available to jobseekers with secondary education and 4.5% to those with higher education.
Employers offered mainly semi-skilled and unskilled job opportunities to jobseekers. Skilled workers were sought primarily in commercial and catering occupations (shop assistant, cook, barman and waiter), metal and electrical industry occupations (welder, locksmith and motor vehicle mechanic and repairer, mechanical machine maintenance and repairer), building industry occupations (electric fitter, bricklayer) and in general office and management occupations (general office administrator).
Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County
The proportion and distribution of the available labour are highly determined by the uneven territorial distribution of the population in the county. In 2022, most registered jobseekers, representing 21.6% of the county total, lived in the county’s administrative seat, Miskolc, and its region (the district of Miskolc). The district of Miskolc is part of the Sajó Valley industrial area, which also includes other districts with significant industrial potential (the regions of Tiszaújváros, Kazincbarcika, Ózd and Putnok), where 27.1% of the county’s jobseekers live. 8.5% of all registered jobseekers live in two southern districts of the county (Mezőkövesd and Mezőcsát), best known for their agricultural activity and medicinal spas, while 42.8% live in the north-northeastern districts by the border with Slovakia (the regions of Encs, Edelény, Szikszó, Szerencs, Gönc, Tokaj, Sárospatak, Sátoraljaújhely and Cigánd), which also include Tokaj-Hegyalja and have agriculture and tourism as their primary economic activities.
Heves County
The average monthly number of jobseekers registered in Heves County was the highest in the districts of Eger (2 800), Gyöngyös (1 900 ) and Heves (2 400) in 2022. The ratio of registered jobseekers to the economically active population ranged from 6.0% to 8.0% in the districts of Hatvan, Gyöngyös, Eger and Füzesabony, while it was 16.7% in the district of Heves.
In 2022, most jobseekers applying for registration wished to find jobs as unskilled workers (2 689), cleaners (1 364), shop assistants (706), assemblers (482), office administrators (466), kitchen helpers (259), lifting truck operators (202), lorry drivers (210) locksmiths (109), freight handlers (128), security guards (170), bricklayers (125), cooks (86), door-keepers and gate-keepers (169), waiters (66), bartenders (66), machining workers (55), painters and decorators (104), welders and flamecutters (52), nursery nurses (96), ornamental plants, flowers and tree nursery gardeners, seedling nursery gardeners (84), fitters of building electric network and electric fitters (71).
Nógrád County
In 2022, the employment departments registered nearly 12 000 new jobseekers, while the number of those removed from the register reached 12 300. The number of the newly registered was 0.3% higher, while that of those deregistered was 5.9% lower than in 2021.
The overwhelming majority of the newly registered jobseekers had lost their jobs, while a smaller proportion applied for registration for other reasons or as first-time jobseekers. Redundancies increased in almost all areas of the economic sector compared to 2021. Most jobseekers worked previously in manufacturing, public administration, trade, repair of motor vehicles, administrative activities and construction. The number of those reregistered after leaving the workfare scheme was higher, while the number of newly registered first-time jobseekers was lower than in 2021.
The occupations sought by most skilled jobseekers applying for registration in 2022 were the following: shop assistant, general office administrator, welder and flame cutter, locksmith, other administrator, cook, security guard and bodyguard, bricklayer, babysitter and nurse, waiter, and painter and decorator.
In 2022, the employment departments of the district offices in Nógrád County registered the most jobseekers
in Salgótarján and its environs (3 551, 34.6%) and the fewest in the district of Rétság (746, 7.3%). In the other four regions of the county, the average number of clients in contact with the district offices ranged from 1 162 to 1 695 per month.
Hajdú-Bihar County
Based on a population survey conducted by the Hungarian Central Statistical Office, 64.8% of the county’s population aged 15–74, i.e. approximately 256 100 people, were economically active in the third quarter of 2022. Of them, 245 300 were present in the labour market as employed and 10 800 as unemployed. The number of employed persons decreased, and the number of unemployed also reduced compared to the same period of the previous year. The employment rate was 62.1%, up 0.6% from a year earlier, and the unemployment rate was 5.3%, down 1.1%. At the national level, the employment rate was higher (64.3%) and the unemployment rate lower (3.6%) than in Hajdú-Bihar County.
In the third quarter of 2022 (the period under review), the average number of jobseekers in Hajdú-Bihar County was 18 342, representing a decrease of 8.1% or 1 607 compared to the average of the third quarter of 2021 (the base period).
The District Office of Debrecen registered nearly a third of the unemployed (29.2%), 0.1% fewer than in the base period. Nine district offices had fewer jobseekers registered than in the base period, while the District Office of Püspökladány experienced an increase of 37 jobseekers compared to the base.
Of all jobseekers registered in Hajdú-Bihar County in months 7–9 of 2022, on average, 9 980 were women and 8 363 men, representing 54.4% and 45.6%, respectively.
In the base period, the difference between the proportions of men and women was 8.7%, with women outnumbering men by 867. In the period under review, the number of women decreased by 8%, or 867, compared to the average for months 7–9 of 2021.
The period under review saw a decrease of 8.1% or 740 in the number of men compared to the average for the same period of the previous year.
In the third quarter of 2022, an average of 1 093 out of all 12 519 skilled jobseekers in Hajdú-Bihar County had higher education qualifications. This number was 9.8% lower than in the base period, which means that, on average, 1 353 fewer skilled jobseekers were registered in the district offices. Among skilled jobseekers, the number of those with higher education qualifications decreased in the period under review by 10% compared to the base period. During this period, there were, on average, 122 fewer jobseekers with higher education qualifications registered at the employment departments of the district offices.
The number of jobseekers under 25 registered by the district offices in the period under review was 2 054, a decrease of 749 compared to the base period. The number of unemployed aged 55 years or older increased by 3.9%, or 252, compared to the base period, to an average of 6 688 registered at the employment departments of district offices in the period under review. The average proportion of jobseekers under 25 years old was 11.2% of all jobseekers, while that of those aged 55 years or older was over 36%. For both age groups, the averages for the previous year were at similar levels (14.1% and 32.3%); however, the proportion of young jobseekers decreased by 2.9 percentage points, while the proportion of older ones increased by 4.2 percentage points compared to the base period.
The average number of first-time jobseekers in the county was 1 357 in the period under review, 27.8 % (523) fewer than in the base period. The ratio of registered first-time jobseekers to all jobseekers was 7.4% during the period under review, 2 percentage points lower than in the base period. Of first-time jobseekers, 4.9% had a higher education qualification in the period under review, which was 66 people on average. In the base period, 5.4% of first-time jobseekers had a higher education qualification.
Compared to the base period, the number of jobseekers unemployed for more than 1 year decreased by 5.2%, or 392, in Hajdú-Bihar County during the period under review. Those registered for more than 1 year accounted for 39.2% of all jobseekers in the period under review, 1.2 percentage points higher than in the base period. The average number of jobseekers unemployed for more than 1 year was 7 184 in the period under review.
In the third quarter of 2022, a total of 7 155 jobseekers were added to the labour register of the county, 144 more than in the same period of the previous year, representing an increase of 2.1%.
The number of those registered for the first time decreased by 16.5% or 134 compared to the base period, which means that the employment departments of the district offices registered a total of 679 new jobseekers during the period under review.
Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County
On 1 January 2022, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County had a population of 360 326 inhabitants, 0.9% fewer than the previous year. Based on the quarterly Labour Force Survey of the of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH), the population aged 15–64 numbered 224 600 in the third quarter of 2022. Among them, 171.5 thousand were economically active, 2.8% more than in the same period of the previous year. The activity rate (the proportion of economically active people in the 15–64 age group) increased by 3.0 percentage points to 76.4%.
In the third quarter of the year, 162 800 people, 72.5% of the population aged 15–64, were employed. The employment rate in the county increased by 3.8 percentage points in a year.
The unemployment rate, as defined by the KSH, decreased by 1.3 percentage points compared to the same period of the previous year and was 5.1% in the third quarter of 2022.
The majority of persons employed in the county work in industry. Other economic sectors contributing significantly to employment include human health and social work activities, education, public administration, defence, compulsory social security, trade and agriculture, forestry and fishing.
The largest employers in the county, with more than 250 employees, are active in the manufacture, assembly and repair of electronic equipment, household and agricultural machinery and vehicles, and the production of food products. There are also a few major employers in the healthcare sector. The most economically developed districts of the county are the districts of Szolnok and Jászberény.
In the third quarter of 2022, an average of 12 400 jobseekers were registered by the government office in Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County. Their number decreased by 11.6% compared to the previous year.
Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County
Based on the KSH data of 1 January 2022, Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County had 539 000 inhabitants, 6 200 fewer than a year earlier. This population represented 5.6% of the country’s population.
According to the KSH quarterly labour force survey, 265 200 of the 409 500 people aged 15–74 in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County in the third quarter of 2022 were economically active, giving an activity rate of 64.8%. Of the population living in the county, 245 100 people, or 59.9%, were employed.
The number of unemployed was 20 100, resulting in an unemployment rate of 7.6%. In 2022, the average number of jobseekers registered in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County was 24 923, 9.6% lower than a year earlier.
The typical trend in the gender ratio reversed in the year under review, and the average number of women was higher than that of men. At the county level, the 12 501 women represented 50.2% of the total number of registered jobseekers, while the number of men was 12 423 during the same period.
As regards educational levels, the average number of jobseekers with at most a primary school education was 13 400, more than half of all jobseekers during the period under review. 10 682 (42.9%) had secondary education, and 845 (3.4%) had higher education. There was hardly any change in the proportions of jobseekers with different levels of education. The most significant decrease (12.1%) occurred in the number of jobseekers with higher education compared to the previous year.
With an average number of 16 243, unskilled jobseekers (classified based on the level of education) accounted for 65.2% of all jobseekers in the period under review. Their number was 9.1% lower than a year earlier.
On average, jobseekers over 60 had the most significant weight (4 319 people, 17.3%) in 2022, but the proportions of those between 21 and 25 and between 46 and 50 also exceeded 10%. The number of jobseekers decreased most in the 21-25 and 18-20 age groups (by 23.5% and 20.7%, respectively). However, the oldest age group (over 60) increased by 10.7%.
A considerable proportion of the jobless (90.0%, or 22 400 people) were employed in blue-collar jobs, and 2 496 worked in white-collar jobs before becoming jobseekers.
The average number of first-time jobseekers registered at the county level was 2 473, 9.9% of the total in 2022. Of them, 72 had higher education qualifications. The number of young jobseekers decreased by 22.8% and their proportion shrank by 1.7 percentage points compared to the previous year.
In the period under review, an average of 8 801 long-term jobseekers were registered, which means that 35.3% of all registered jobseekers could not find employment for over a year. Their number and proportion among all jobseekers both increased compared to the base period.
On average, around 60% (15 209) of all jobseekers registered in the county received passive benefits based on compliance with the legal requirements in the period under review. A significant proportion received social benefits, and a smaller proportion received jobseeker benefits.
Hajdú-Bihar County
In 2022, employers in Hajdú-Bihar County notified a total of 24 840 new vacancies, which is 544 more than a year earlier and represents an increase of 2.2%. Compared to the base period, there was a 1.1% decrease in the number of vacancy notifications concerning subsidised jobs, and a total of 19 944 available subsidised jobs were recorded in the database of the employment departments of district offices.
Employers notified 768 more unfilled non-subsidised jobs than in the base period, and a total of 4 896 non-subsidised jobs were available through the district offices in the period under review.
In total, there were 56 892 available vacancies in the period under review, representing an increase of 0.7% compared to the base period.
Of the newly notified vacancies, 52.5% (13 030) were available in the public administration, defence and compulsory social security sectors. The corresponding percentage in the previous year was 64.9%.
Other sectors with a 6% or higher share of the new vacancies notified in 2022 were manufacturing (6.8%), trade and repair of motor vehicles (6.5%) and construction (6%). The share of all other sectors remained below 5.5%.
Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County
In 2022, a total of 17 700 vacancies were notified in Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County, a quarter of them from the area of Szolnok.
Around 70% of the available jobs were in elementary occupations not requiring qualifications, including 7 700 simple transport and service occupations, 3 500 simple industry, construction industry and agricultural occupations and 1 100 cleaning occupations. Other occupations where a significant number (at least 100) workers were demanded included the following: shop assistant, other administrator, baker, bartender, cook, lorry driver and educational assistant.
Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County
In 2022, a total of 47 700 vacancies were notified by employers in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County, 88.9 % or 42 393 of which were for unskilled jobseekers. Of the 5 307 skilled jobs notified, 59.0% required basic vocational qualifications, and 30.1% required secondary vocational qualifications linked to primary school education. In both groups, most jobs required small and large industry qualifications.
The demand for workers was the highest (a minimum of 50) for the following skilled jobs: bricklayer, grocery shop assistant, cook, carpenter, electric fitter, joiner, baker, welder.
Hajdú-Bihar County
The district offices registered a total of 27 738 new jobseekers in Hajdú-Bihar County in 2022. Of the newly registered jobseekers,14.2% were made redundant in agriculture, forestry and fishing, 7.5% in manufacturing and 5.2% in trade and motor vehicle repair. The occupations most sought after by jobseekers included the following (with their occupational codes under the Hungarian Standard Classification of Occupations (FEOR) indicated): 9239 Other simple service and transport occupation not elsewhere classified (4 955 jobseekers), 5113 Shop assistant (2 342 jobseekers), 4112 General office administrators (1 490 jobseekers), 9119 Other cleaner and helper (1 032 jobseekers), and 9112 Cleaner and helpers in offices, hotels and other establishments (994 jobseekers).
Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County
In 2022, the average number of jobseekers registered in the county was 12 800, with over a quarter registered in the district of Szolnok. Around 6–7% of the county’s jobseekers lived in the Mezőtúr and Tiszafüred areas. Their ratio of jobseekers to the working-age population was the most favourable in the district of Jászberény and the highest in the district of Kunhegyes .
Nearly half of all jobseekers sought elementary occupations not requiring qualifications, including mainly simple transport and service occupations. 15.0% sought jobs in trade and services, with 7.1% of all jobseekers wanting to work as shop assistants (this job was in the highest demand among jobseekers). Compared to trade, a slightly smaller proportion of jobseekers wished to be employed in industry and construction industry occupations, such as locksmith, bricklayer, welder and flame cutter, and painter and decorator.
Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County
In 2022, 38 685 new jobseekers were added to the county register of the employment service in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County, with 12.6% as first-time jobseekers.
More than half of the registered jobseekers sought elementary occupations not requiring qualifications, including mainly simple transport and service occupations and similar jobs.
The occupations most in demand among jobseekers in the period under review were the following: other simple service and transport occupation not elsewhere classified; shop assistant; general office administrator; other cleaner and helper; simple industry occupation; cleaner and helper in offices, hotels and other establishments; door-keeper, gate-keeper, simple guard; simple agricultural labourer.
Bács-Kiskun County
In 2022, Bács-Kiskun County was characterised by an overall decreasing unemployment, which was, however, coupled with a decreasing population. On 1 January 2022, the population of Bács-Kiskun, the largest county in the country, was 497 000[1], 0.5% less than a year earlier. According to the labour market survey of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH)[2], the number of employed persons and the number of unemployed both decreased in 2022 compared to 2021. In 2022, 65.5% of the population aged 15–74, i.e. 246 700 people, were economically active in Bács-Kiskun County, 0.7% fewer than a year earlier. The county’s activity rate was only one percentage point below the national value. The employment rate was 62.9%, and the unemployment rate was 4.0%. The number of inactive persons was 129 900, up by 1 700 from a year earlier. Based on data from the KSH, the number of persons employed[3] was 130 000 in Bács-Kiskun County in 2022, down 0.6% from a year earlier. Again according to KSH data, in the four quarters of 2022, the average gross monthly earnings of persons employed were HUF 439 000, 18.1% higher than in the same period of the previous year, yet remaining well below the national average (HUF 76 000 lower). At the end of December 2022, 109 100 business organisations with headquarters in Bács-Kiskun County were registered by the KSH, the vast majority of which (76.5%) were sole proprietorships.
Based on data from the National Employment Service (NFSZ), the average month-end number of jobseekers registered in Bács-Kiskun County was 11 367 in 2022, representing an 11.7% decrease compared to the same period of the previous year.
The average monthly number of first-time jobseekers in the above period was 584, accounting for an average of 5.1% of the total. The average number of first-time jobseekers decreased by 29.6% compared to the same period in 2021.
Békés County
As a result of a further decline of 3 700 (1.1%) from the previous year, Békés County had a population of 322 800 inhabitants on 1 January 2022.
According to data from the KSH Labour Force Survey for the third quarter of 2022, the economically active population aged 15–74 numbered 243 300, giving an activity rate of 63.0%. Within the active population, there were 144 200 persons employed, and the employment rate of the population aged 15–74 was 59.3% at the end of the third quarter, 0.2 percentage points lower than a year earlier. The number of unemployed persons, as defined by the ILO, was 9 000, the same as a year earlier.
Based on data for the third quarter of 2022, the average month-end number of jobseekers registered by the NFSZ was 11 679 in Békés County, representing a 10.3% decrease compared to the same period of the previous year.
In the period under review, first-time jobseekers accounted for 7.4% of all jobseekers, and their number followed the same trend as the number of jobseekers, i.e. the number of both decreased compared to the same period of the previous year.
39.9 % of all jobseekers had eight or fewer years of primary school education, 29.4% held a certificate from a skilled workers’ training school, 25.9% had a general certificate of secondary education, and 4.7% had a higher education degree. Among first-time jobseekers, 32.6% had at most 8 years of primary school education, 18.2% had a vocational qualification, 45.6% had a general certificate of secondary education, and 3.5% had a higher education degree.
Among the districts of the county, the district of Békéscsaba had the most jobseekers (2 264), followed by the district of Mezőkovácsháza (1 948) and the district of Békés (1 615). In those areas of the county where the labour market situation is worse, the composition of jobseekers by level of education also tends to be less favourable than the county and national average. Based on average data for the period under review, the decrease in the average number of jobseekers against the same period of the previous year was the most significant in the districts of Gyula (20.1%) and Békéscsaba (14.8%).
Csongrád-Csanád County
According to data from the KSH, Csongrád-Csanád County had a population of 393 116 inhabitants on 1 January 2022, fewer by 2 500, or 0.6%, than a year earlier.
Based on the KSH Labour Force Survey, 65.2% of the county’s population aged 15–74, i.e. 193 300 out of 296 500 people, were economically active in the third quarter of 2022. Of them, 189 000 were present in the labour market as employed and 4 300 as unemployed. The number of people in employment increased by 1.5%, while the number of unemployed decreased by 7% compared to the same period in 2021. The decrease in unemployment was of a similar magnitude as at the national level. The proportion of people in employment reached 63.7%, and the unemployment rate fell to 2.2%. The employment rate in the county was 0.6 percentage points worse, while the unemployment rate was 1.5 percentage points better than the national average. Of the population group under review, 103 000 were economically inactive, 4 000 fewer than a year earlier.
In the first three quarters of 2022, the average monthly gross earnings of full-time employees in Csongrád-Csanád County were HUF 434 000, while the average monthly net earnings excluding tax allowance were HUF 288 000. Excluding employees under the workfare scheme, the average gross earnings of employees increased to HUF 441 000 and the average net earnings to HUF 293 000. Continuing the upward trend of the previous periods, gross and net average earnings, calculated including employees under the workfare scheme, were 19% higher than in the first three quarters of 2021. Although this growth exceeded the national rate, employees in Csongrád-Csanád County earned 14% less than the national average and 30% less than those in the capital.
According to the 2022 annual data of the National Employment Service, the average monthly number of jobseekers registered in the county was 5 254, lower by 781, or 13%, than the corresponding average for the previous year. At the end of the year, fewer than 5 000 (4 953) jobseekers were registered in the districts. This was 199 fewer than at the end of 2021.
The average monthly number of registered female jobseekers decreased to 2 706, accounting for 51.5 % of all jobseekers. Compared to the previous year, the number of female jobseekers registered fell by 14.5%, while the number of registered male jobseekers fell by 11%. Of all jobseekers, 27.5% (1 454) had at most eight years of primary school education, while 1 358 (26%) held a certificate from a skilled workers’ training school or a vocational school. 1 254 (24%) held a certificate from a vocational secondary school or a technical school, 589 (11%) had a general certificate of secondary education. 11.5% or a monthly average of 600 jobseekers held a higher education degree in Csongrád-Csanád County.
The number of registered first-time jobseekers decreased relatively sharply over the year. Their average number fell by 34% from 412 in the base period to 273 in 2022. On average, first-time jobseekers accounted for 5.2% of all registered jobseekers, 1.6 percentage points lower than a year earlier.
[1] KSH Counties in Focus, Third quarter of 2021, Bács-Kiskun County
[2] According to the criteria of the International Labour Organization (ILO).
[3] KSH summary tables (STADAT)
Bács-Kiskun County
In 2022, 20 855 new vacancies were notified to the Employment Departments of Bács-Kiskun County, 25.6% of which concerned jobs available under the workfare scheme. By the end of 2022, the number of new vacancies notified from the primary labour market reached 15 479, 70.9% of which employers intended to fill without subsidies.
Disregarding the jobs available under the workfare scheme, most of the notified unfilled jobs were full-time, with more than half requiring no qualifications. Manufacturing accounted for 27.4% of the vacancies, and there was also significant demand for labour in public administration and defence, compulsory social security, trade, repair of motor vehicles and accommodation and food service activities. In particular, the demand for workers was high in the following occupations: simple industry occupation, other administrator, other simple service and transport occupation not elsewhere classified, simple agricultural labourer, hand packer, simple construction industry occupations, shop salesperson, general office administrator, freight handler, heavy truck and lorry driver, cleaner and helper in offices, hotels and other establishments, cattle, horse, pig, sheep producer, kitchen helper, and assembler of other products. Almost a third of all vacancies were concentrated in the district of the county town, Kecskemét, but over a thousand vacancy notifications were registered in the areas surrounding Kiskunhalas, Baja, Kiskőrös, Kalocsa and Kiskunfélegyháza as well.
Békés County
In 2022, nearly 23 000 vacancies were notified by employers to the employment departments of the district offices in Békés County. As regards the territorial distribution of vacancies, the highest numbers were registered in the districts of Békéscsaba, Szarvas and Szeghalom.
Of all notified jobs, 63.5% were available to those with primary school education, while 28.1% required secondary education (typically a vocational qualification) and 1.4% a higher education degree.
Most of the vacancies notified were in the following classes of economic activities: public administration, defence, compulsory social security; manufacturing; trade, repair of motor vehicles; accommodation and food service activities; and construction. Vacancies in public administration were notified predominantly for employment under the workfare scheme.
Csongrád-Csanád County
In 2022, employers notified 17 100 vacancies in Csongrád-Csanád County, almost the same number as a year earlier. For 43% of the notified vacancies (7 300 jobs), employers did not apply for subsidies, so 7 300 non-subsidised jobs and 9 800 subsidised jobs were available in 2022. 43% of the available jobs were in Szeged (7 400), 15% in Makó (2 500) and 12% in Hódmezővásárhely (2 100).
Two thirds of the vacancies required only primary school education, while 19% were available only for skilled workers, 11% for those with secondary education and 3% for those with higher education qualifications. By sector, 30% of the notified vacancies were in public administration (for employment under the workfare scheme), nearly a quarter (4 000) were in industry (including the construction industry), 9% were in trade, 7% in accommodation and food service activities, 6% in agriculture, 4–5% in human health and support service activities.
In 2022, most jobs available in the country were in the following occupations: cleaner, kitchen helper, office administrator, shop salesperson, other administrator, freight handler, heavy truck driver, hand packer, bartender, rubber products machine operator, cook, locksmith, and bricklayer.
Bács-Kiskun County
In 2022, of the average number of registered jobseekers in Bács-Kiskun County, 55.1% were women, and 44.9% were men. Most jobseekers, 54.3%, were aged between 25 and 54, 36.9% were 55 or older, and 8.8% were under 25. The majority of the registered jobseekers (55.5%) had secondary education, 38.2% had basic education, and 6.3% had higher education. Almost a third of registered jobseekers (29.5%) were unskilled. In the period under review, jobseekers registered for longer than a year represented 35.8%.
In absolute terms, the number of registered jobseekers was the highest in the district of Kecskemét (3 237 per month on average); however, relative to the economically active population, the average proportion of registered jobseekers exceeded the county average (4.6%) in the districts of Kunszentmiklós, Jánoshalma, Kalocsa, Bácsalmás, Kiskunhalas and Kiskunmajsa.
Békés County
In 2022, the average monthly number of new jobseekers entered into the unemployment register was 1 400 in Békés County. In most cases, their previous employers operated in agriculture, manufacturing, trade, motor vehicle repair and public administration, defence and compulsory social security.
As regards the geographical distribution of jobseekers in the unemployment register, most jobseekers were registered from the district of the county seat Békéscsaba. On average, 19.4%, approximately 2 200, of the county’s jobseekers were registered in this district. However, it is also one of the growth poles of the county’s economy, so even though it has the highest number of jobseekers within the county, the ratio of registered jobseekers to the economically active population is below the county average. While this ratio was, on average, 7.3% in Békés County in 2022, it was only 5.8% in the district of Békéscsaba. Within the county, the number of jobseekers was the lowest in the districts of Szarvas and Gyula, where the annual averages were 512 and 802, respectively. After Békéscsaba, the districts of Mezőkovácsháza and Békés had the highest number of registered jobseekers, respectively 1 920 and 1 598. The ratio of jobseekers to the economically active population was 11.8% in the district of Mezőkovácsháza and 10.1% in the district of Békés. The district of Sarkad had the county’s highest jobseeker ratio (14.5%).
In Békés County, skilled jobseekers accounted for 71.9% of all jobseekers registered over the months of 2022. Most skilled jobseekers were qualified to work in the following occupations: chainsaw operator, cleaner, kitchen helper, carpenter, locksmith, welder, bricklayer, light machine operator, agricultural machinery repairer, dressmaker, painter and decorator, lifting truck operator, shop assistant, waiter, cook, food service worker, food and chemical store assistant, bodyguard and security guard, social services assistant, motor vehicle mechanic and repairer, shopkeeper.
Csongrád-Csanád County
In Csongrád-Csanád County, the number of jobseekers registered in 2022 was nearly 19 000, 7% or 1 400 fewer than the previous year. Of all registered jobseekers, 41% (7 700) lived in Szeged, 15% (2 800) in Makó and 13% (2 500) in Hódmezővásárhely. 26% had eight or fewer years of primary school education, 24% were skilled workers, 38% had a general certificate of secondary education, and 12% held a higher education degree. Female jobseekers accounted for 51%, first-time jobseekers 7.5% (1 406), and jobseekers over 50 years old 30% (5 500). Before registration as a jobseeker, most worked in trade, accommodation and food service activities, and manufacturing. The most frequent occupations among the newly registered jobseekers were the following: shop assistant, office administrator, cleaner, lorry driver, kitchen helper, bartender, cook, lifting truck operator, hand packer, security guard, locksmith, waiter, and painter and decorator.