The number of people out of work in the Isle of Man has risen a little.

The latest statistics show that there was 245 registered unemployed in the island in July.

That is up 17 from the month before.

But it's 57 fewer than in July 2022.

The unemployment rate - the proportion of the economically active working population that's out o work - is officially 0.5%.

Using the International Labour Organisation estimate of unemployment, the rate is 1.5%,

There were 815 job vacancies at the end of July, an increase of 27 over the previous month.

The sector of the economy facing the biggest shortage is 'other catering and entertainment'. There were 144 vacancies there. However, there were 23 people with a background in that area looking for work.

As usual, there are far more vacancies in medical and health services than qualified people to fill them. The total was 112,.

Retail distribution is another area in which bosses are finding it hard to recruit. There were 102 vacancies.

The highest July unemployment figure this century was in 2020, the first year of Covid. Then 1,100 were out of work,. The lowest was 2001, when the figure was 178.