More than double the number of people registered for work in April, compared to the same month last year, official figures show.

Some 3,979 people were seeking work, compared with 1,748 in the same month last year.

That's an increase of 127 per cent year on year, and shows the impact of the pandemic on the workforce in Malta.

The National Statistics Office said on Friday that data provided by Jobsplus registered unemployment levels increased across all age groups.

Malta's economy took a hit in March as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Those registering for work for less than 21 weeks and those registering between 21 and 52 weeks increased when compared to April 2019 levels. The largest increase was recorded among people registering for less than 21 weeks.

Drop in number of long-term registrants

On the other hand, those who had been registering for work for more than one year, decreased when compared to the same month last year.

The number of people with a disability who were registering for work increased by 35 when compared to the previous year, reaching 253. Men accounted for 70% of total registrants with a disability.

The largest share of men and women on the unemployment register sought occupations as clerical support workers, with 21.4% and 33.3% respectively.