Home > Statistics > Job vacancy survey > 2020 > 4th quarter > Fewer open job vacancies in the last quarter of 2020 than one year earlier

Published: 17 February 2021

Fewer open job vacancies in the last quarter of 2020 than one year earlier

There were 33,400 open job vacancies in the last quarter of 2020, which was 11 per cent fewer than one year earlier (37,500). These data derive from Statistics Finland's statistics on open job vacancies and describe the situation on the first day of December. During 2020, the average number of job vacancies was 43,800, whereas in 2019 the number was 50,000.

Job vacancies 2019/IV – 2020/IV

	Year/Quarter
	2019/IV		2020/IV
	Number	Share, %	Number	Share, %
Job vacancies	37 500		33 400
Part-time	6 500	17	5 300	16
Fixed term	11 500	31	9 000	27
Hard-to-fill vacancies	21 800	58	15 700	47
The sub-groups are not mutually exclusive so their sum does not correspond with the total number of open job vacancies.

In the last quarter of 2020 , a total of 22,200 or 67 per cent of the job vacancies were in establishments owned by private enterprises, while one year earlier the corresponding share was 71 per cent. Compared with the corresponding period of the previous year, the number of open job vacancies decreased most in the major region of Helsinki-Uusimaa (- 2,200). Examined by the industry of the establishment, job vacancies decreased most in the industry group of trade, transportation and storage, accommodation and food service activities (G to I). Growth was seen in the industry group of public administration, education and human health and social work activities (O to Q).

In the last quarter of the year, 27 per cent of all open job vacancies were fixed-term positions, while one year earlier the corresponding share was 31 per cent. The share of part-time positions in all open job vacancies was 16 per cent, which is close to the level seen one year earlier. Employers estimated that 47 per cent of the open job vacancies were hard-to-fill, while the corresponding share one year earlier was 58 per cent. For example, there were still plenty of jobs considered hard to fill in establishments of human health and social work activities (Q) in health care and early childhood education tasks.

The numbers of open job vacancies can also be viewed on the annual level as averages of the quarterly figures . Of the open job vacancies in 2020, on average, 69 per cent were in establishments owned by private enterprises, while the corresponding share in the previous year was 74 per cent. The number of open job vacancies fell on the annual level particularly in the major region of Helsinki-Uusimaa (- 4,000) and in the industry group of trade, transportation and storage and accommodation and food service activities (G to I).

Examined on the annual level, 38 per cent of all job vacancies were fixed-time jobs and 19 per cent part-time. The difficulties experienced by employers in filling open job vacancies decreased compared to the year before. On average, 48 per cent of the open job vacancies in 2020 were assessed as hard-to-fill by the employers, while in 2019 the corresponding share was 56 per cent.

Job vacancies in 2019 – 2020

	Year
	2019		2020
	Number	Share, %	Number	Share, %
Job vacancies	50 000		43 800
Part-time	8 300	17	8 200	19
Fixed term	18 100	36	16 500	38
Hard-to-fill vacancies	27 900	56	21 200	48
The sub-groups are not mutually exclusive so their sum does not correspond with the total number of open job vacancies. Annual figures on job vacancies are averages of quarterly figures.

Statistics Finland has been collecting data on open job vacancies quarterly since 2002. The inquiry is directed to persons responsible for recruitment in private or public sector establishments. The survey is answered with either a web questionnaire or a telephone interview. The data collection includes approximately 2,500 different establishments in every quarter. The statistics are based on Regulation (EC) No 453/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The objective is to produce up-to-date and comparable information about the number and structure of job openings on the labour markets of EU Member States.

More information about open job vacancies is available in the appendix tables of this release and in the database tables of the statistics. The figures in the tables are rounded, for which reason the sums do not always amount to the totals. The accuracy of figures and standard errors are explained in the quality description of the statistical release (only in Finnish).

Latest data on open job vacancies published by the EU can be found on Eurostat's home page http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat .

Source: Job vacancy survey 2020, 4th quarter. Statistics Finland.

Inquiries: Minna Wallenius 029 551 2749, tyovoimatutkimus@stat.fi

Head of Department in charge: Hannele Orjala

Publication in pdf-format (275.7 kB)

Tables

Tables in databases

Pick the data you need into tables, view the data as graphs, or download the data for your use.

• Database tables and their variables
• Archived tables

Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Job vacancies by the quarters 2019/IV - 2020/IV (17.2.2021)
• Appendix table 2. Job vacancies by size of the establishment 2019/IV - 2020/IV (17.2.2021)
• Appendix table 3. Job vacancies by employer sector of the establishment 2019/IV - 2020/IV (17.2.2021)
• Appendix table 4. Job vacancies by major region 2019/IV - 2020/IV (17.2.2021)
• Appendix table 5. Job vacancies by industry (TOL 2008) of the establishment 2019/IV - 2020/IV (17.2.2021)
• Appendix table 6. Job vacancies by employer sector of the establishment in 2019 - 2020 (17.2.2021)
• Appendix table 7. Job vacancies by major region in 2019 - 2020 (17.2.2021)
• Appendix table 8. Job vacancies by industry (TOL 2008) of the establishment in 2019 - 2020 (17.2.2021)

Figures

• Appendix figure 1. Job vacancies by quarter (17.2.2021)
• Appendix figure 2. Job vacancies by quarter by type of employment relationship (17.2.2021)

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Updated 17.2.2021