MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay's unemployment in 2022 below pre-pandemic times

“If we compare the number of people with jobs, there are currently 35,000 more than those who were employed in 2019,” Pérez said

According to Uruguay's Labor Ministry data released Wednesday, unemployment in the South American country during 2022 was lower than that of times before the Covid-19 pandemic broke out.

Employment Director Daniel Pérez said it was a “significant” level of recovery. He also pointed out that pre-pandemic levels had been already reached by the end of 2021.

Pérez also noted that the official figures for the 2022 fiscal year are yet to be disclosed, but they are expected to be below 8%, which is an achievement in itself when compared to 2019 data.

The official also explained that “if we compare the number of people with jobs, there are currently 35,000 more than those who were employed in 2019” while Uruguayan economic activity is already at pre-pandemic steam.

Pérez also highlighted that the Employment Promotion Law's focus on people aged 24 or less helped keep the country at levels from before Covid-19.

Meanwhile, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for 2022 was set at 8.29% after a -0.26% variation in December, when Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages went up 0.18%, and Housing and Transportation dropped 0.47% and 0.12% respectively.

Electricity bills fell 11.20% in 2022 as a result of the “UTE premia” annual bonus while Housing Rentals grew 0.51% yoy. Automobiles went down 2.42% in 2022, Motorcycles 2.55%, and Airplane tickets 9.17%, it was also reported.