Costa Rica showed an unemployment rate in the second quarter of 2021 of 18.1 percent, slightly lower than the 18.7 percent reported between previous January and March, an official source revealed today.
Data from the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (INEC) show that in April-May-June there were 434,000 people without a job, about 24,000 fewer unemployed than in the first quarter of this year, when they counted 458,000. Of the total unemployed in the second quarter, 198,000 were men and 236,000 women, according to the INEC.
Compared to the same stage of 2020, between last April and June there were 117 thousand fewer unemployed people, while 1.97 million had a job, an increase of 224 thousand people in relation to the same period of the previous year.
By activity, the INEC specifies that 330 thousand people are employed in commerce and repairs (16.7 percent of the total), 221 thousand in agriculture, livestock and fishing (11.2 percent); and 196 thousand in the manufacturing industry (9.9 percent).
Informal jobs
Likewise, 15.4 percent of people aged 15 and over with underemployment – those who work less than 40 hours a week and would like to work more – nationwide, a decrease of 5.1 percentage points compared to the same period of the previous year. Meanwhile, 863 thousand people have an informal job, an increase of 169 thousand individuals more than in the similar stage of 2020.
