Nearly one-point-six million people in their 20s and 30s were classified as being “outside the labor market” last month, with that number reaching its highest point in four years.

According to the Ministry of Data and Statistics on Sunday, a total of one million 589-thousand people in that age bracket were either unemployed, preparing for jobs, or just taking time off.

This marked an increase of 28-thousand from a year earlier to the highest point since November 2021, when the corresponding figure posted one million 737-thousand during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The number of unemployed people in their 20s and 30s stood at 359-thousand last month, up 22-thousand from a year earlier. 

Those simply “resting” without engaging in any particular activity numbered 719-thousand, the highest figure since related data was first compiled in 2003.

The number of people in this age group preparing for employment totaled 511-thousand last month.