The outlook for jobs globally this year has deteriorated significantly since last spring as new Covid-19 variants have slowed growth and limited employment, according to a report by the International Labor Organization (ILO).
In its latest assessment of the labor market situation, the ILO said unemployment would remain above 2019 levels until at least 2023 and the damage caused by the pandemic would take years to recover.
According to the report, global unemployment will be 207 million, a slight drop from 214 million in 2021, but far more than the 186 million reported in 2019.
NPO Director-General Guy Ryder said: “Two years into this crisis, the outlook remains delicate and the road to recovery is slow and uncertain. We are already seeing potentially lasting damage in labor markets, along with worrying increases in poverty and inequality. Many workers are required to move to new types of work. ”
The NPO said the Delta and Omicron variants had been partly responsible for the 2022 forecasts, noting that there is considerable uncertainty about the continuation of the pandemic.
