The revised Labour Force Survey estimates, for instance, reveal that between March 2001 and March 2007 the absorption rate trended downwards from 45,8 per cent to 44,1 per cent. 5 Even more disheartening is the number of discouraged job seekers which grew from 1 725 000 to 2 511 000 over the same period.
It appears that this easing has been underpinned by the fact that the market is now closer to balance than previously.