Fewer people are searching for jobs now than at the same time last year and there remains a skills shortage in some industries in Iceland, according to Visir.is. The news website quotes the CEO of the Capacent research and public opinion bureau as saying it seems unlikely that unemployment figures will rise quickly over the coming months.
Despite regular news of businesses tightening their belts and making employees redundant, it seems many are still ready to hire new staff. The number of job advertisements in Monday’s Morgunbladid and Frettabladid newspapers seems to back this up, Visir.is says
Employment agencies say they are still receiving many enquiries for new staff in many different sectors, especially skilled tradesmen/women, heavy machinery operators and other similar areas.
Gunnar Haugen, CEO of Capacent says that employers are looking for new staff just as much as they were at this time last year, but that fewer people are looking for work now. He believes the harder economic climate is causing people to delay plans to change jobs. He believes many people at the moment prefer to have a stable job than take the risk of changing.
Financial and building companies are employing the least new people at the moment. Many in the building trade have been laid off already – many of whom are foreign workers. A lot of the foreign workers are reported to have returned to their home countries rather than look for more work in Iceland.
