The number of temporary workers in France increased by +5.2% during May 2014 compared with the same month last year, according to figures from the French job centre Pôle Emploi. There were 606,700 temporary workers in May, an increase of 29,900 from a year ago, but a decline of 2,200 (-0.4%) compared with the previous month.

In May, the average daily number of temporary jobs was 414,400, an increase of +9.5% compared with last year, and +1.3% compared with April 2014.

The distribution of permanent and temporary jobs differs greatly between the three primary employment sectors. 

During May, the number of temporary workers in the Industrial sector increased by +0.6% compared with last month, while they fell in Construction (-2.6%) and Services (-0.3%).

The number of female temporary workers rose by +8.7% year-on-year, compared with +4% for men. The number of temporary workers aged between 20 and 24 fell by -0.4 percentage point, year-on-year. Those aged between 30 and 39 remained relatively stable, while all other age brackets reported an increase.

Compared with last year, skilled blue collar workers were the only temporary staffing segment to report a fall in demand of -2.8%. The other segments all reported growth; unskilled blue collar workers (+12.6%), managers and executives (+9.8%), and white collar workers (+9.7%).