The Central Bank improved the forecast for the unemployment rate for 2017 - 17.9%, followed by an annual decline of 0.3-0.5%

ArmInfo. According to the  updated forecast of the Central Bank of Armenia, the unemployment  rate in 2017 will be 17.9%, followed by a decrease in the medium-term  future by 0.3-0.5 percentage points annually - up to 17.4-17.6%. The  updated (November) forecast is given in the Central Bank's Monetary  Policy Program (MCP) for the 4th quarter of 2017, where it is noted  that the acceleration of economic growth rates, the government's  policy of stimulating investment, and implementing infrastructure  reforms will help to reduce the unemployment rate.

Meanwhile, the previous forecast of the Central Bank for 2017  provided for the unemployment rate of 18.5% with an annual decline in  2018-2019 by 0.3-0.4 percentage points - to 18-18.2% and 17.6-18%  respectively .

It should be noted that in 2016 the unemployment rate in the country  was 18% according to official statistics, against 18.5% in 2015,  17.6% in 2014, 16.2% in 2013. In the second quarter of 2017, the  unemployment rate in Armenia fell from 19% to 17.8%, compared to  18.4% a year earlier. As of July 1, 2017, the economy of Armenia  employed 36.7% of the total population, amounting to 2.980 million  people.

Recall that the poverty level in Armenia, according to the forecasts  of the World Bank, will decrease in 2017-2018 to 24.1-23.2%, against  24.9% in 2016 and 25.6% - in 2015