The Vice-President pointed out the "consistent and sustained reduction" trend of unemployment in the Azores. According to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE) regarding the second quarter of 2018, "there has been a decrease in the number of unemployed Azoreans for 16 consecutive quarters, compared to the same period last year."
"Currently, the number of unemployed in the Azores has been the lowest since 2011, seven years ago, having dropped 18 percent over the same period last year," stressed Sérgio Ávila.
According to INE, the unemployment rate in the second quarter of this year corresponds to "2,193 fewer unemployed Azoreans and that the unemployment rate fell by 1.8 percentage points over the same period in the previous year."
The government official also emphasised that the data show "a sustained growth" of employment in the Azores, revealing that "there are 2,605 more employed Azoreans than a year ago and 666 more employed Azoreans compared to the previous quarter."
"This is the seventh consecutive quarter of employment growth over the same period in the previous year," the Vice-President of the Government said, adding that the number of employed Azorean in the second quarter of 2018 stands at 112,156, the second highest since 2009."
According to the government official, the data confirm that the "strategy followed by the Regional Government towards the promotion of employment and the reduction of unemployment has yielded results."
"We look at the data with satisfaction, but, above all, with the determination and willingness to further improve these results and to further strengthen the reduction trend in unemployment and the growth trend in employment that have been registered over the last few years," said Sérgio Ávila. In this regard, he added that the creation of more and better jobs "is a priority strategic goal in the Regional Government's action."