The number of job seekers in Israel stood at 172,700 in September, marking a 7.2% decrease compared to August, according to data released by the Employment Service.
After seasonal adjustment, the decline was even sharper-11.5%-with the number of job seekers falling to 163,200. The main reason for the decrease is attributed to the return of workers who had been laid off during the summer.
The number of income support claimants also remained extremely low this month, standing at 37,900, one of the lowest figures recorded in recent decades.
The decline in job seekers was recorded nationwide, with a national average decrease of 9.3%. The sharpest drops occurred in Haredi cities, led by Modi’in Illit (down 38.2%) and Eilat (down 17.6%).
The report noted a more significant decline among women, whose numbers fell by 8.3%, compared to a 5.7% drop among men. According to the Employment Service, this trend is mainly due to women returning to work after summer layoffs, as well as the retroactive recognition of unpaid leave eligibility following Operation Rising Lion, which particularly affected women and workers in seasonal industries.
By age group, declines were observed across all categories, but the most notable decrease was among young people under 34, whose share of total job seekers dropped to 28%. In contrast, the 35-54 age group rose to 42.7%, and those aged 55 and older increased to 29.3%. The Employment Service explained that the decline among younger workers was primarily due to their return to jobs following summer layoffs.
By population group, the most significant decrease was recorded among the haredim -20.8%-reducing their share of all job seekers to 8.4%. Among Arabs, the decrease was 5.9%, and among non-Haredi Jews, 5.6%.
Employment Service Director General Attorney Einbal Meshesh stated: “The employment trends seen over the past month reflect reality-the market is strong and capable of recovering quickly from crisis situations. At the same time, with the imminent end of the war, we are closely monitoring the return home of tens of thousands of reservists, some of whom may face difficulties reintegrating into the workforce. The Employment Service is fully prepared and offers them a wide range of employment solutions.”