The Lanzarote Business Confederation (CEL) has expressed its satisfaction after the data from the latest Active Population Survey (EPA), which it considers to be "a reflection of the island's economic recovery."
“The main challenge now is to consolidate this economic recovery and provide the relevant sectors with the tools to continue stimulating job creation. We must not lose sight of the fact that, despite this improvement, we are still one of the Communities with the highest unemployment rate in the country, so it is important to work on promoting training, betting on sectors other than the tertiary sector and on aid to promote job creation,” said the president of the CEL, Francisco Martínez.
According to the data from that EPA, corresponding to the last quarter of 2021, there are currently 68,590 people working on the island, which is about 1,000 more than before the start of the pandemic and about 12,000 more than a year ago. As for the unemployment rate, it remains above 21% but has decreased by more than four points compared to the last quarter of 2020.
Regarding the Canary Islands as a whole, the CEL highlights that the survey reflects the recovery of employment lost during the pandemic, with an unemployment rate 6.3% lower than a year ago and with 938,999 employed in the Canary Islands.
Result of vaccines and "business push"
Martínez believes that "these very positive data" are the result of "several factors, such as vaccines against Covid-19, the drive of the Lanzarote business sector and the growth of the tertiary sector, compared to the previous year."
In addition, he stressed that the CEL is working, through the 'Lanzarote Employability 2021/2022' project, to improve the unemployment rate in vulnerable groups, which in the Archipelago exceeds the national percentage by more than five points. This program is especially aimed at hiring unemployed people, over 45 years of age, with functional diversity, or women who are in a situation of potential risk.