US-based e-commerce giant Amazon will create 7,000 permanent jobs in the UK by the end of the year, the company announced Thursday.

According to AFP, with an aim to boost virus-hit economy of UK, “Amazon will add a further 7,000 new permanent roles by the end of 2020 across more than 50 sites, including corporate offices and two new fulfilment centres,” the e-commerce giant said in a statement.

The company added that its total permanent UK workforce will be more than 40,000. This comes at a time when number of British retailers have axed thousands of jobs following the country’s lockdown.

Amazon has already created 3,000 new permanent UK roles this year and is planning to offer more than 20,000 seasonal positions across the country ahead of the festive period.

UK Business Secretary Alok Sharma hailed the announcement at a time when the unemployment in the country set to surge after the government next month ends its COVID-19 furlough scheme. The scheme is paying wages for millions of private-sector workers.

“While this has been a challenging time for many businesses, it is hugely encouraging to see Amazon creating 10,000 jobs in the UK this year. This is not only great news for those looking for a new job, but also a clear vote of confidence in the UK economy as we build back better from the pandemic,” Sharma added.