The Ministry of Labor and Social Policy estimates that the unemployment rate in January rose to 14.2 percent (0.8 percent more than in December 2012). At the end of January the number of all registered unemployed rose to some 2.3 million, 159,000 more than in December.

In January unemployment rose in all voivodships, from 0.6 percent in the Mazowieckie voivodship to 1.2 percent in the Lubuskie voivodship. Wielkopolskie recorded the lowest unemployment rate amongst voivodships, at 10.7 percent, while Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodship saw the highest unemployment rate, with 22.3 percent.

The ministry reports that the unemployment rate rose due to the termination of seasonal jobs in the winter months. Official data for January will be announced by the Central Statistical Office at the end of February.

Marta Mardosz