Number of job vacancies marginally down

After adjusting for seasonal effects, 122 thousand jobs were vacant by the end of December 2009, a decrease by 6 thousand relative to the end of September. The decline was entirely realised within the sector commercial services.

The vacancy rate, i.e. the number of vacancies per one thousand jobs is indicative of the tightness of the labour market. By the end of December, there were 15 vacancies per 1,000 jobs, that is 9 fewer than one year previously. The most substantial decline occurred in construction, where the vacancy rate dropped from 31 to 14 in the span of one year. The vacancy rate also dropped sharply in manufacturing industry, hotels and restaurants and business services. The smallest reduction was recorded in the sector non-commercial services.

The labour market was less dynamic than one year previously. In the forth quarter of last year, 171 thousand new vacancies were created, i.e. 33 thousand down on twelve months previously. With 176 thousand, the number of filled vacancies clearly lagged behind the 254 thousand filled vacancies of the fourth quarter of 2008.

Job vacancies, seasonally adjusted