The number of people on unemployment in Iceland has surpassed 16,000 –
over 5% of the country – merely days after it was reported at 15,000.
As Grapevine previously reported, unemployment has recently crossed the 5% mark. According to the Directorate of Labor, that number is now growing.
16,033 people are on unemployment benefits, either for being out of work or underemployed. The majority of these are men – 10,205 men are registered for benefits, as opposed to 5,828 women. Unemployment is also higher in the capital area – about 60% of the country lives in the greater Reykjavík area, and 10,535 are on unemployment there.
The Directorate of Labor estimates that people received part-time benefits will increase. These figures cover only those who have sought beenfits – the percentage of the population without work or without enough work might actually be greater.