More job vacancies in the private sector

The number of job vacancies has increased marginally. At the end of December, there were 130 thousand job vacancies, i.e. 4 thousand more than at the end of September. The private sector accounted entirely for the increase, with vacancies about 6 thousand higher than in the preceding quarter. The number of job vacancies in the public sector declined. The figures are adjusted for seasonal effects.

The vacancy rate, i.e. the number of vacancies per one thousand jobs is an indicator of how tight the labour market is. The vacancy rate stood at 16 in the fourth quarter and has been at this level for nearly two years.

The labour market was more dynamic than in 2009. In the fourth quarter of 2010, 181 thousand new vacancies were created, 10 thousand more than in the fourth quarter of 2009. The number of filled vacancies also rose; 180 thousand job vacancies were filled, compared with 176 thousand in the same period of 2009.

Job vacancies, seasonally adjusted

Vacancy indicator rising in the first quarter