Unemployment increases in Georgia

Since September 2009 more than 200,000 people have lost their jobs and the Department of Statistics states that this tendency is increasing. The number of unemployed will most probably increase by another 25,000 teachers before long as Minister of Education Dimitri Shashkin has decided that all teachers should work full time, whereas currently 60% of teachers work part time. Minister Shashkin however denied the allegations saying that no teachers will leave their jobs.

Official almost 17% of Georgians are unemployed. The real figure could be much higher, because in the official statistics farmers who own land are employed. Consequently 82% of the rural population are considered to be employed.