The Vice-President of the Government highlighted in Angra do Heroísmo that the unemployment rate registered at 10.4% in the Azores in late 2016 is the lowest of "the last five and a half years." He stressed that "unemployment had not been that low in the Region since the second quarter of 2011," standing below the national average.
 
"The unemployment rate in the Azores released today - 10.4% at the end of 2016 - is the lowest rate in 22 quarters. This means that the Azores registered the lowest unemployment rate in the last five years and a half," Sérgio Ávila said, alluding to the data published by the National Statistics Institute (INE).
 
Speaking to journalists at a press conference, the Vice-President stressed that the unemployment rate "dropped over 2.2 percentage points, representing a reduction of 13%" in the last year.
 
This new reduction according to Sérgio Ávila, "consolidates the downward trend observed since 2014, when the unemployment rate reached 18%," adding that, from that date, "has been consecutively to decline, dropping to 15 5% in late 2014, reduced again to 12.6% in 2015 and returned to now decrease to 10.4%. "
 
According to INE, there has been a decrease of 2,782 unemployed Azoreans (18%), while 1,939 Azoreans have found a job.
 
Sérgio Ávila considered that this reduction in unemployment "is even more relevant when concerns a quarter [last year] whose seasonality usually shows a growth in unemployment." There are 404 fewer unemployed Azoreans compared to the previous quarter.
 
"These results also arise from a marked reduction in the youth unemployment rate, which is the lowest since 2012; it decreased 42% in just two years," said the government official.
 
Sérgio Ávila stressed that the data "reinforce the believe that we are on the right track and managing to increase employment and reduce unemployment in the Region in a safe and consistent manner, through the implementation of measures included in the Azorean Agenda for Business Competitiveness and Employment Creation. They also reveal the "ability of Azorean to use the support measures and incentive systems at their disposal."
 
"Today, there are 8,938 more Azorean workers and 9,171 fewer unemployed Azoreans than just three years ago," said the government official.
 
Sérgio Ávila stressed that "these results are very positive. They represent a trend that the Regional Government intends to strengthen this year," which will "further increase active employment creation policies."
 
The government official also considered that these results "also confirm the relevance of the gradual reorientation of measures to support employment. They should focus on ensuring the stability of employment by reducing precarious labour relations, promoting contracts of indefinite duration and the integration of workers, and the progressive increase of salaries."