Owing to the restrictions imposed in connection with COVID-19, many of the salary earners lost their jobs, said Elena Coban, senior specialist of the National Employment Agency. Contacted by IPN for a comment, Elena Coban said that when the state of emergency was declared in March, 1,511 unemployed persons were registered officially with their Agency. In April, the unemployment rate increased significantly, to 9,127 persons. In May, there were registered 6,182 people out of job. During the first half of this year, the officially registered unemployed came to 28,100.

Most of the unemployed are aged between 30 and 49 (14,800 unemployed persons or 28% of the total). Those aged between 50 and 65 number 8,200. 17,600 unemployed persons or 63% didn’t have professional qualifications and had only primary/secondary/lyceum education. The women represented 64% of the persons of this category.

Elena Coban said the right to unemployment benefit is set by the local subdivisions, while the size is decided by the National House of Social Insurance. The benefit cannot exceed the average monthly official salary for the previous year.

For the period of the state of emergency, the persons registered as unemployed at local employment agencies, including the Moldovans who returned from abroad, get a monthly unemployment benefit of 2,775 lei since an application is filed. On June 2, the local employment subdivisions issued 14,698 decisions to set the right to unemployment benefit for the period between May 7 and 15. The National House of Social Insurance is to calculate and pay the unemployment benefit.

Asked about the professions that are now in demand in Moldova, Elena Coban named such jobs as seamstress in the light industry, driver, medical assistant, physician, seller of foods and nonfoods, police inspector, accountant and manager.