The long-term unemployed represented a large share of those still out of work in the last month of 2014, according to figures from the Labour Department. The rate of those jobless for more than six months stood at 41% or 19,645 persons in December, based on the Department`s monthly report on the labour market situation.
The majority of long-term unemployed were secretaries or typists (3,909), followed by unskilled workers (3,790), production technicians (3,142) and services sector (2,653). By economic activity, 5,227 or 26.6% of long-term unemployed come from the services sector, 3,743 persons or 19.1% from the trade, 3,258 people or 16.6% from the constructions sector and 2,189 persons or 11.1% from manufacturing. The largest concentration of long-term unemployed were in the district of Nicosia (37%) and then Limassol (27%), Larnaca (22%), Paphos (10%) and Famagusta (4%).