VILNIUS — The Lithuanian Labor Exchange has seen a fresh wave of new people signing up as unemployed in light of the new restriction on health insurance for those without jobs.

Unemployment has been a major issue since 2008 when the economic crisis struck Lithuania. It is uncertain exactly how many people are unemployed because of the nature of the country’s system. Taking into account the shadow market, where it is estimated by the [private_supervisor]Lithuanian Free Market Institute that nearly one-third of the economy is operating in, only those who register at the labor exchange are counted as being unemployed.

During the week starting April 22, 9,400 new people registered with the labor exchange as being unemployed, taking the total amount to 324,000 or 15.05 percent of the working age population, closer to Eurostat’s figures on Lithuania and the third-highest in the European Union.

It is believed that many people are signing up now because of the new law that says unemployed people must pay the social insurance tax unless they are registered at the labor exchange. In an effort to root out people sponging off the system, the government levied the tax on all people unless they are officially unemployed or living abroad.

Of those who came to register over the last week, 19.2 percent were unemployed in the last six months. Another 28 percent had not worked in two years. Those aged 25 or less made up 17.7 percent of the new unemployed people.

A week earlier, when the information about the tax started coming out in the media 12,000 jobless people registered with the labor exchange.

Embassies abroad also reported being flooded with applications to registered émigré status. Those abroad wanted to register their status as living abroad to avoid the tax. [/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]Lithuanian Free Market Institute that nearly one-third of the economy is operating in, only those who register at the labor exchange are counted as being unemployed.

During the week starting April 22, 9,400 new people registered with the labor exchange as being unemployed, taking the total amount to 324,000 or 15.05 percent of the working age population, closer to Eurostat’s figures on Lithuania and the third-highest in the European Union.

It is believed that many people are signing up now because of the new law that says unemployed people must pay the social insurance tax unless they are registered at the labor exchange. In an effort to root out people sponging off the system, the government levied the tax on all people unless they are officially unemployed or living abroad.

Of those who came to register over the last week, 19.2 percent were unemployed in the last six months. Another 28 percent had not worked in two years. Those aged 25 or less made up 17.7 percent of the new unemployed people.

A week earlier, when the information about the tax started coming out in the media 12,000 jobless people registered with the labor exchange.

Embassies abroad also reported being flooded with applications to registered émigré status. Those abroad wanted to register their status as living abroad to avoid the tax. [/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]Lithuanian Free Market Institute that nearly one-third of the economy is operating in, only those who register at the labor exchange are counted as being unemployed.

During the week starting April 22, 9,400 new people registered with the labor exchange as being unemployed, taking the total amount to 324,000 or 15.05 percent of the working age population, closer to Eurostat’s figures on Lithuania and the third-highest in the European Union.

It is believed that many people are signing up now because of the new law that says unemployed people must pay the social insurance tax unless they are registered at the labor exchange. In an effort to root out people sponging off the system, the government levied the tax on all people unless they are officially unemployed or living abroad.

Of those who came to register over the last week, 19.2 percent were unemployed in the last six months. Another 28 percent had not worked in two years. Those aged 25 or less made up 17.7 percent of the new unemployed people.

A week earlier, when the information about the tax started coming out in the media 12,000 jobless people registered with the labor exchange.

Embassies abroad also reported being flooded with applications to registered émigré status. Those abroad wanted to register their status as living abroad to avoid the tax. [/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]Lithuanian Free Market Institute that nearly one-third of the economy is operating in, only those who register at the labor exchange are counted as being unemployed.

During the week starting April 22, 9,400 new people registered with the labor exchange as being unemployed, taking the total amount to 324,000 or 15.05 percent of the working age population, closer to Eurostat’s figures on Lithuania and the third-highest in the European Union.

It is believed that many people are signing up now because of the new law that says unemployed people must pay the social insurance tax unless they are registered at the labor exchange. In an effort to root out people sponging off the system, the government levied the tax on all people unless they are officially unemployed or living abroad.

Of those who came to register over the last week, 19.2 percent were unemployed in the last six months. Another 28 percent had not worked in two years. Those aged 25 or less made up 17.7 percent of the new unemployed people.

A week earlier, when the information about the tax started coming out in the media 12,000 jobless people registered with the labor exchange.

Embassies abroad also reported being flooded with applications to registered émigré status. Those abroad wanted to register their status as living abroad to avoid the tax. [/private_subscription 1 year]

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