Analytics, Employment, Estonia, Labour-market, Markets and Companies

The rate of job vacancies, i.e. the share of job vacancies in the total number of jobs has remained stable in recent years, in the 2nd quarter of this year it was 1.4%. The rate of job vacancies was the highest in accommodation and food service activities and in administrative and support service activities (both 2.9%) and the lowest in real estate activities (0.1%).

The increase in the number of job vacancies was the biggest in construction and in agriculture, forestry and fishing activities. Compared to the 2nd quarter of 2013, there were 73% more vacancies in construction and 58% more vacancies in agriculture, forestry and fishing. This could be influenced by the lack of qualified labour, the seasonality of work, the wage level of the occupation.

In the territorial distribution of job vacancies and occupied posts no changes have taken place, the number of posts was still the highest in Harju county (incl. Tallinn). The rate of job vacancies was the highest in Harju and Pärnu counties (1.7% and 1.6%, respectively) and the lowest in Hiiu county (0.1%).

Out of the 7,600 vacancies of the 2nd quarter, 6,000 were in the private sector and the rest in the public sector. The rate of job vacancies was 1.1% in the public sector and 1.5% in the private sector. The public sector also includes companies owned by the state or the local government.

The movement of labour is characterised by labour turnover – in the 1st quarter of 2014, a total of 60,000 employees were hired or left their jobs. The labour turnover increased by 5.5% compared to the 1st quarter of 2013.

A job vacancy is a paid post that is newly created, unoccupied or becomes vacant when an employee leaves, and for which the employer is actively trying to find a suitable candidate from outside the enterprise, institution or organisation concerned.

The rate of job vacancies is the share of job vacancies in the total number of jobs (sum of occupied posts and vacancies).

The data are based on the job vacancies and labour turnover survey conducted by Statistics Estonia since 2005. In 2014, the sample included 12,267 enterprises, institutions and organisations.