TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The unemployment rate rose to 3.39% in February — the first increase following five months of decline, the government said Friday (March 22).

The Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics (DGBAS) said last month’s Lunar New Year holiday was a key factor in the change. Traditionally, people seek out new jobs after the holiday period, while many temporary vacation jobs come to an end.

The February figure amounted to a rise of 0.08% from the January jobless rate, per CNA. If adjusted for seasonal factors, unemployment rose by 0.01% to 3.40%, according to the DGBAS.

The government said 406,000 people were out of work, or 9.000 more than in January. As to the employed, their total fell by 15,000 over the same period to 11.57 million.