Balearic unemployment figure increase in August was the second highest in Spain

PALMA
THE number of people out of work in the Balearics in August rose by 4.33 percent in comparison with figures for July, the second sharpest regional increase in Spain, the Central Government's Employment Ministry reported yesterday.

The official regional job agency (SOIB) revealed that there were a further 2'773 people on the dole queue last month making a total of 66'796, a figure which represents an increase of 53.41 percent in comparison to August last year.

The regional jump in the number of people out of work was only surpassed by Aragon (74.52 percent greater than August 2008), Valencia (57.45 percent) and La Rioja (55.42 percent).

Amongst the foreign community in the Islands, numbers of those without work rose by 3.25 percent in August in comparison with figures for July.
Of the 17'021 in this group on the dole, 11'974 are from countries outside the European Union and 5'227 from within it.