The registered unemployment level increased by 0.4% in January 2016 to 9.1% of the economically active population of Latvia compared to December 2015, according to the Latvian State Employment Agency (NVA).

Registered unemployment in Latvia was at 8.7% in December 2015, at 8.4% in November 2015, at 8.3% in October and September 2015, at 8.5% in August 2015 and at 8.6% for the preceding three months.

At the beginning of January this year, there were 81,780 people registered with the State Employment Agency as unemployed compared to 85,452 registered jobless at the end of January.

Among the regions, Riga had the lowest unemployment level in late January this year at 5.6%, while Latgale province in eastern Latvia had the highest rate at 19.1%.

Among the Latvian cities, Riga had the lowest unemployment rate at 5.2% and the highest unemployment rate was registered in Rezekne in eastern Latvia at 16.9%.

According to NVA representative, Egils Vidzups, the growing jobless rate was mostly influenced by seasonal jobs as similar trends had been observed also in previous years.