The jobless rate stood at 5.2 percent in April, unchanged from a month earlier, but the number of unemployed actually increased 270,000 to 3.75 million, according to preliminary figures released Friday by the Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications Ministry.
In addition, peripheral figures point to a worsening employment situation.
The number of bread-winners who lost their jobs increased by 120,000 to a record 1.08 million, and the number of people who were forced out of work due to job cuts and other management decisions came to a record 1.21 million.