RIGA, May 12 (LETA) - Unemployment level in Latvia will grow again in the fall, said State Employment Agency (NVA) director Evita Simsone in an interview with commercial TV3 television today.

"We expect unemployment level to rise again in fall. Of course, we hope it will not be a steep increase," she said, adding that at present registered unemployment level has dropped to 6.5 percent of economically active population.

She said that in the fall, when people will face higher heating bills, it will be a challenge, especially for those with lower income.

"People should carefully assess their decisions in relation to employment," said Simsone, adding that due to seasonal jobs which might bring higher income, people should not lose their permanent jobs. "Stability is more important now," she said.

Also, she noted that as seasonal jobs start, there are more vacancies in construction, farming, also manufacturing.

As reported, in late April, registered unemployment level was 6.5 percent of economically active residents, which is by 0.3 percentage points lower than at the end of March.

At the end of April, a total of 57,223 people in Latvia were registered with the agency as jobless. Their number decreased by 2,976 from the end of March.

The lowest unemployment rate was registered in Riga Region where 4.6 percent of the working-age population were out work at the end of April, 0.1 percentage points down from the previous month. In Latvia's eastern province of Latgale, joblessness was at 14.2 percent, still the highest rate in Latvia, but a reduction of 0.6 percentage points from the previous month.

Unemployment in Latvia's western province of Kurzeme was 6.9 percent (0.6 percentage points less than in March), In Vidzeme 7.1 percent (0.5 percentage points down), and in Zemgale - 6.3 percent (0.5 percentage points down).