Number of job vacancies still high
- Marginal decline over past nine months
- Vacancy rate remains at record level
- Fewer new and filled vacancies
The number of vacancies in the second quarter of 2008 remained high. Adjusted for seasonal variation, 240 thousand vacancies were unfilled at the end of June 2008, only 2 thousand down on the previous quarter. The vacancy rate remains at record level. According to the most recent figures, there is less activity on the labour market.
At the end of September last year, 253 thousand vacancies were unfilled, a new record. In a period of four years, the amount of unfilled vacancies increased almost threefold. Since the record level was reached, the number of vacancies has dropped marginally by an average of 4 thousand per quarter.
At the end of June 2008, there were 32 vacancies on every thousand jobs in the Netherlands, approximately the same rate as a year ago and still at record level. The vacancy rate is defined as the the number of vacancies per thousand jobs and is an indicator for the situation on the job market. With vacancy rates of 57 and 50 respectively, the highest demand for staff was recorded in the sectors hotels and restaurants and construction. In the sector hotels and restaurants, most jobs are on a temporary basis.
The situation on the job market is less dynamic than a year ago. There are fewer new and filled vacancies. In the second quarter of this year, there were 287 thousand new vacancies, 15 thousand down on the same period last year. The number of filled vacancies stood at 281 thousand, i.e. 9 thousand down on one year previously. For the second quarter in a row, the job market is less dynamic than twelve months ago.