Finland had 63,300 job vacancies when coronavirus crisis erupted

Finland had 63,300 open job vacancies in the first quarter of 2020. The figure is slightly higher than one year before (63,100).

These data describe the situation on the first day of March, so the effects of the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic cannot yet be seen. At that point, most of the government lockdown measures were still to come.

In the first quarter of 2020, in all, 43,500 or 69% of the job vacancies were offered by establishments owned by private enterprises. The share was unchanged from the year before.

Compared with the corresponding period of the previous year, open job vacancies increased most in the major region of Southern Finland (excl. Helsinki-Uusimaa) and decreased in the major region of Western Finland.

Examined by the industry of the establishment, the number of job vacancies decreased in the industry group of public administration, education, human health and social work activities. In turn, vacancies increased in the industry group of information and communication services, mainly in computer programming.

Less fixed-term jobs

In the first quarter, 47% of all open job vacancies were fixed-term positions, while one year earlier the corresponding share was 52%. According to Statistics Finland, the share of fixed-term jobs is usually high in the first quarter due to the search for summer employees, for example.

There were plenty of fixed-term jobs available, for example, in the industries of human health and social work activities and trade.

19% of all job vacancies were part-time, which is nearly the same share as in the corresponding period of the year before.

Hard-to-fill positions

Employers estimated that 48% of the open job vacancies (30,600) were hard-to-fill, while the corresponding share one year earlier was 43%. For example, establishments in human health and social work activities had plenty of jobs considered hard-to-fill.

Statistics Finland collects data on open job vacancies from approximately 2,500 different establishments every quarter. The inquiry is directed to persons responsible for recruitment in private or public sector establishments, who can respond either using the web questionnaire or through a telephone interview.