In the 3rd quarter the number of job vacancies decreased

The rate of job vacancies in the 3rd quarter was 1.5%. The rate of job vacancies is the share of job vacancies in the total number of jobs (sum of occupied posts and vacancies).

The rate of job vacancies was the highest in education (2.2%) and the lowest in construction (0.7%).

Compared to the 3rd quarter of 2011, the rate of job vacancies increased the fastest in other service activities (by 1.1 percentage points).

The increase in the number of job vacancies was the biggest in administrative and support service activities, where there were 1.2 times more vacancies, compared to the 3rd quarter of 2011.

35% of the job vacancies were in the public sector and 65% in the private sector. The rate of job vacancies was 1.8% in the public sector and 1.3% in the private sector. The public sector includes companies owned by the state or local government.

Rate of job vacancies, 1st quarter 2005 – 3rd quarter 2012

In the 2nd quarter of 2012, more than 79,300 employees were engaged and left their jobs in total (labour turnover). The increase in labour turnover was 14.3% compared to the same period of the previous year.

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 data are based on the job vacancies and labour turnover survey conducted by Statistics Estonia since 2005. In 2012, the sample includes nearly 11,700 enterprises, institutions and organisations.