Danish employment reaches record high

COPENHAGEN, March 21 (Xinhua) -- The number of employed Danes has hit a record high, according to data published Wednesday by the country's national statistical agency.

The total number of employed people in Denmark hit 2,728,800 in January, surpassing the previous record in April 2008, said Danmarks Statistik, the national statistical agency, in a statement.

The calculation is made on the basis of reports to the Danish tax authority, counting all employees aged from 16 to 64 years in both public and private sectors.

Danish Prime Minister Lars loekke Rasmussen said now it is time for Denmark to keep the good times going.

"We must ensure that even more people become part of the working community and that companies have good conditions so that we can afford to invest in our common welfare for many years to come," Rasmussen was quoted as saying by Danish news agency Ritzau.

Denmark's population on social benefits hit its lowest level in the last quarter of 2017. From December 2017 to January 2018, there was a further 6,500 people employed in companies and organizations, and the number of employees in the public sector increased by 700.

Meanwhile, the number of employees in such sectors as agriculture, trade and real estate also reached record highs since statistics were first gathered in 2008. Enditem