Algarve Situation Report Wednesday 25^th August 2021

 

Number of unemployed in Algarve decreases

The number of unemployed registered in July, in the Algarve, decreased 21.5% compared to the same month in 2020, according to data released this Monday, 23 August, by the Employment and Professional Training Institute (IEFP).

According to these figures, at the end of the seventh month of the year, the Algarve had 17,932 unemployed registered with the IEFP services, which also represents a significant decrease compared to the previous month: 2098 people left the Employment Centers between June and July, which equates to a decrease of 10.5% of subscribers.

The recovery of tourist activity is the main responsible for the absorption of these workers by companies. Although recruitment for this sector started later this year, there was a sharp drop in the number of IEFP applicants from May onwards, which continued into June and, it is now known, continued into July [see graph].

If the number of registered unemployed decreased, the number of job offers increased – and a lot – compared to the same month in 2020. At the end of July, there were 1026 job offers, 659 more (+179.6%) than there are one year.

Compared to other regions, the Algarve was the one that had the biggest drop in the number of unemployed compared to last year (-21.5%). It is followed by Alentejo (-15.5%), the Centre (-13.7%), North (-9.5%) and Lisbon and Vale do Tejo (-6.7%). At the national level, the variation was -9.5%.

In the Algarve region, all municipalities had a decrease in the number of registered in July, and Portimão is now the municipality with the highest number of registered unemployed: 3,124. It is followed by Loulé, with 2,800, and Faro, with 2,410.

Municipality of Portimão has already paid 30,000 euros to the victims of the rural fire on July 17

The Municipality of Portimão said in a statement that it has already started payments to victims of forest fires under the emergency fund in the amount of 50,000 euros, created to support needy residents who were affected by the rural fire of 17 July last, that harassed the parish of Mexilhoeira Grande until the following day.

In all, the fire mowed down more than 1600 hectares of bush, pasture, eucalyptus and pine trees in the Gordeiro and Pereira sites, having destroyed the electricity supply and access to water, since it is done through artesian and dams.

Farmers with limited resources, whose activity has special importance and impact on the prevention of rural fires, were affected by the fire.

As a result, the Parish Council of Mexilhoeira Grande carried out a preliminary and provisional survey of the affected residents, as well as the damages and the costs of repairs, having estimated the amount of 50,000 euros, for which 30,000 euros have been paid so far.

The same document states that the monetary support fund provided by the Municipality of Portimão, “aimed at restoring normality and access to basic conditions for the affected population, including support for the replacement of water supply structures in homes and irrigation systems for subsistence agriculture, and the payment of the invoices presented so far is already underway”.