Number of job vacancies remains high

Corrected for seasonal effects, 240 thousands jobs were vacant at the end of June this year, i.e. 2 thousand down on the preceding quarter. The number of job vacancies remains high.

Compared with one year previously, the number of job vacancies was 5 thousand higher in the second quarter. Companies employing 100 or more persons had 10 thousand more unfilled vacancies, whereas medium-sized companies had 2 thousand more unfilled vacancies. In the category small businesses – fewer than 10 employees – the number of vacant jobs decreased by 7 thousand, however.

The vacancy rate is indicative of the degree of shortage on the labour market. It is defined as the number of vacant jobs per one thousand jobs. At the end of the second quarter, there were 32 vacancies in every one thousand jobs, similar to the end of June 2007. The highest vacancy rates were recorded in the sectors construction and hotels and restaurants, the lowest rates in education and public services.

The labour market was somewhat less dynamic than twelve months previously. In the second quarter, there were 287 thousand new vacancies, as against 302 thousand twelve months previously. The number of filled vacancies was 281 thousand, 9 thousand down on one year previously.

Job vacancies, seasonally adjusted