According to these data, net employment grew 3.3 percent over the last year, thanks to four consecutive quarters of steady increase, and 648,200 jobs created, which are nearly twice as many as those recorded in 2017, the best result over the last few years.

Despite this improvement, the document recalled that 350,000 jobs were lost in the private sector due to the health crisis in 2020, and the agricultural sector also reported a decline of 1,600 workers last year.

The more prominent role in this recovery was played by the commercial services sector, where the number of workers rose to 560,000, while the construction and industry sectors showed more modest results.

Despite uncertainties due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as shortage of raw materials and labor in some sectors, the Bank of France considered that employment should continue to grow and unemployment should fall slightly between 2021 and 2024.

jg/iff/mem/acm