The number of unemployment benefits in Eindhoven fell by just under 2.5 percent in February. In the surrounding municipalities, the percentage decrease in benefits was slightly higher.
About 70 fewer unemployment benefits were paid in February than in January; 2,750 versus 2,820. The difference within the same period a year earlier is considerable. Then 4,300 people claimed unemployment benefits – 36 percent more than now.
Around Eindhoven
In the surrounding municipalities, the number of unemployment benefits fell more than in Eindhoven. The number fell between 2.6 and 3.7 percent in Best, Waalre, Geldrop-Mierlo and Veldhoven. This number was higher in Nuenen and Son en Breugel. The decline was 7.1 and 4.9 percent respectively. Only in Valkenswaard did the number of unemployment benefits increase by 3.9 percent.
The decline in unemployment benefits is not remarkable in view of the severe shortage in the labor market. The fact that the decrease in benefits is only modest can be explained by the absolute number of unemployment benefits that are granted in the region, the UWV said.
Shortage
“The huge shortage in the labor market is lasting longer than we expected,” a spokesperson said. “We had expected the shortage to level off after the third quarter of 2021, but that has not happened.”
Concern
The greatest shortage exists in ICT and other technical professions. The demand for personnel is also high in the care sector. “In healthcare, more and more older employees are retiring while the demand for care is increasing due to the ageing population. We are seeing an increasing demand for staff in nursing, care and home care in particular,” the spokesperson said.
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Shanthi Ramani
