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Published: 19 May 2021

Slightly fewer open job vacancies in the first quarter than one year earlier

The number of open job vacancies was 59,500 in the first quarter of 2021, while the figure was 63,300 one year before. The number of open job vacancies decreased especially in the local government sector. These data derive from Statistics Finland’s statistics on open job vacancies and describe the situation on the first day of March.

Job vacancies 2020/I – 2021/I

	Year/Quarter
	2020/I		2021/I
	Number	Share, %	Number	Share, %
Job vacancies	63 300		59 500
Part-time	11 800	19	11 500	19
Fixed term	29 700	47	26 600	45
Hard-to-fill vacancies	30 600	48	25 900	44
The sub-groups are not mutually exclusive so their sum does not correspond with the total number of open job vacancies.

In the first quarter of 2021, in all, 43,100 or 73 per cent of the job vacancies were in establishments owned by private enterprises, while one year earlier the corresponding share was 69 per cent. Compared with the corresponding period of the previous year, the number of open job vacancies decreased especially in the local government sector (-4,500) and in establishments with 10 to 49 employees (-9,000). 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) and increased in the industry group of information and communication services (J), mainly in computer programming. Examined by region, the number of open job vacancies decreased most in the major region of Northern and Eastern Finland (-4,500).

In the first quarter, 45 per cent of all open job vacancies were fixed-term jobs. The share of fixed-term jobs is usually high in the first quarter due to the search for summer employees, for example. For example, there were plenty of fixed-term vacancies in trade (G) and human health and social work activities (Q). The share of part-time jobs in all open job vacancies was 19 per cent, the same as in the corresponding period one year ago. Employers estimated that 44 per cent of the open job vacancies were hard-to-fill, while the corresponding share one year earlier was 48 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 practical nurse jobs and in early childhood education.

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 match the total. 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 2021, 1st quarter. Statistics Finland.

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

Head of Department in charge: Hannele Orjala

Publication in pdf-format (258.5 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 2020/I - 2021/I (19.5.2021)
• Appendix table 2. Job vacancies by size of the establishment 2020/I - 2021/I (19.5.2021)
• Appendix table 3. Job vacancies by employer sector of the establishment 2020/I - 2021/I (19.5.2021)
• Appendix table 4. Job vacancies by major region 2020/I - 2021/I (19.5.2021)
• Appendix table 5. Job vacancies by industry (TOL 2008) of the establishment 2020/I - 2021/I (19.5.2021)

Figures

• Appendix figure 1. Job vacancies by quarter (19.5.2021)
• Appendix figure 2. Job vacancies by quarter by type of employment relationship (19.5.2021)

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Updated 19.5.2021