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Number of job vacancies dropped by 35.5% in Q1 in Latvia

Andžejs Čerņavskis, Statistics Latvia, Riga, 15.06.2020.Print version
Data of the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB) show that at the end of 1st quarter of 2020 there were 18.5 thousand job vacancies in Latvia, which is 10.2 thousand vacancies or 35.5% less than in the 1st quarter of 2019. In public sector there were 7.9 thousand and in private sector 10.6 thousand job vacancies.

Over the year, the number of job vacancies in public sector grew by 0.1 thousand or 1.5%, while in private sector fell by 10.3 thousand or 49.2%.




Out of the total number of jobs in Latvia (both occupied and vacant), 2.0% positions were vacant, of which 2.7% in public sector and 1.7% in private sector.


Compared to the 1st quarter of 2019, in the 1st quarter of 2020 number of occupied posts in private sector rose by 1.2 thousand or 0.2% and in public sector dropped by 1.2 thousand or 0.4%. Thus, the total number of occupied posts in the country did not change.


Occupied posts and job vacancies by sector

 

At the end of Q1 2019, thousand

At the end of Q1 2020, thousand

Changes, %

Job vacancies, total

28.7

18.5

-35.5

Private sector

21.0

10.6

-49.2

Public sector

7.8

7.9

1.5

Occupied posts, total

902.2

902.2

0.0

Private sector

612.5

613.7

0.2

Public sector

289.6

288.5

-0.4


The highest share of job vacancies was recorded among craft and related trades workers (3.2% of all jobs in this occupational group), technicians and associate professionals, as well as plant and machine operators and assemblers (2.2%).




Due to the COVID-19, demand for employees feel in all main occupational groupings, except for managers. The most significant drop was observed in demand for skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers, service and sales workers, plant and machine operators and assemblers, craft and related trades workers,  technicians and associate professionals, elementary occupations, clerical support workers, and professionals.


In the 1st quarter of 2020, the highest share of job vacancies was recorded in mining and quarrying (12.6%), public administration and defence (6.0%), construction (3.3%), human health and social work activities (2.7%), as well as manufacturing (2.4%).


Job vacancies and occupied posts by main kind of economic activity

 

Q1 2019

Q1 2020

Job vacancies, thousand

Occupied posts, thousand

Job vacancy rate,%

Job vacancies, thousand

Occupied posts, thousand

Job vacancy rate,%

Total

28.7

902.2

3.1

18.5

902.2

2.0

Agriculture, forestry and fishing (A)

0.6

21.5

2.9

0.3

21.5

1.3

Mining and quarrying (B)

0.3

2.6

10.2

0.4

2.6

12.6

Manufacturing (C)

4.1

113.0

3.5

2.8

112.1

2.4

Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (D)

0.3

12.1

2.1

0.1

12.0

1.2

Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities (E)

0.1

7.8

1.8

0.1

7.8

1.6

Construction (F)

3.8

61.4

5.8

2.1

61.5

3.3

Wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (G)

4.6

144.0

3.1

1.5

143.1

1.1

Transportation and storage (H)

2.5

75.9

3.2

1.8

74.8

2.3

Accommodation and food service activities (I)

1.5

34.1

4.3

0.3

31.1

0.9

Information and communication (J)

0.7

34.4

1.9

0.4

36.2

1.2

Financial and insurance activities (K)

0.3

17.3

2.0

0.2

17.3

1.2

Real estate activities (L)

0.3

27.7

1.2

0.3

28.3

1.0

Professional, scientific and technical activities (M)

0.8

40.5

1.8

0.3

41.1

0.7

Administrative and support service activities (N)

1.0

39.7

2.4

0.6

40.2

1.5

Public administration and defence; compulsory social security (O)

3.9

63.1

5.8

4.0

63.0

6.0

Education (P)

1.0

99.2

1.0

1.0

99.8

1.0

Human health and social work activities (Q)

2.4

69.3

3.3

2.0

71.8

2.7

Arts, entertainment and recreation (R)

0.3

25.0

1.1

0.3

24.7

1.1

Other service activities (S)

0.2

13.6

1.6

0.0

13.4

0.3


In the 1st quarter of 2020, the greatest share of job vacancies was observed in Riga region – 2.5% of all jobs within the region or 12.5 thousand, whereas the lowest in Vidzeme region – 1% or 0.7 thousand.


Compared to the neighbouring countries Lithuania and Estonia, Latvia in the 1st quarter of 2020 had the greatest number of job vacancies – 2.0% (1.1% in Lithuania and 1.4% in Estonia) and the sharpest job vacancy decline, compared to the 1st quarter of 2019. Over the year, number of job vacancies in Lithuania reduced by 21.5%, in Estonia by 25%, and in Latvia by 35.5%.




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