The number of registered jobseekers in France rose by 8,900 in January, as unemployment continued to creep higher despite government claims it had stabilized, reports MNI.
The number of jobless seeking full-time employment rose to a record 3.316 million in January, an increase of 0.3% from December, the labour ministry said. Compared with a year ago, the number of registered jobseekers rose by 139,2000, or 4.4%, the ministry said.
In a statement, the ministry noted that there had been a "strong deceleration" in the rate of job losses, with the increase in jobseekers falling from a monthly average 30,000 in the first quarter of last year to 5,000 in Q4.
"The further increase hiring in January, the growth of the temporary jobs over the past year and the prospects for recovery are signs that in 2014 we will return to sustainable job growth," the ministry said.
President François Hollande has acknowledged, however, that without stronger economic growth, reducing the unemployment rate will not be possible.
"Without strong growth, there can be no reduction of unemployment," Hollande said during a state visit to Turkey late last month. "Stabilising, which is what we managed to do, is not enough."
The European Commission forecast this week that the French economy would growth by 1.0% this year and by 1.7% in 2015.
France's unemployment rate was 10.9% in the third quarter, close to its all-time high of 11.2% in 1997. Fourth-quarter employment figures will be released on March 6.
Read more of this report from MNI.