Unemployment in France rose again in February by 12,800 to a total of 3.494 million, and stands just a couple of thousand short of its December record.<br /><br /> The numbers of long-term unemployed rose, but there were fewer claimants in the under-25 age group.<br /><br /> The number of available unfilled jobs declined while job centres reported the average length of time spent out of work by claimants had increased.<br /><br /> If those partially unemployed or not available for full-time work are included along with claimants overseas, over five and a half million French people are drawing unemployment benefits of some kind.
