Number of open job vacancies in Finland decreases

The number of open job vacancies in Finland decreased during the coronavirus crisis.

According to Statistics Finland's data, there were 33,400 open job vacancies in the last quarter of 2020, which was 11% fewer than one year earlier (37,500). 

The drop is not a limited decline at the end of the year, but a constant trend throughout the year. During 2020, the average number of job vacancies was 43,800, whereas in 2019 the number was 50,000, the Finnish statistical office said in a press release.

Source: Statistics Finland.

Biggest decrease in Helsinki region

In the last quarter of 2020 , a total of 22,200 or 67% of the job vacancies were in establishments owned by private enterprises, while one year earlier the corresponding share was 71%.

Compared with the corresponding period of the previous year, the number of open job vacancies decreased most in the major region of Helsinki-Uusimaa (- 2,200).

Examined by the industry of the establishment, job vacancies decreased most in the industry group of trade, transportation and storage, accommodation and food service activities. Growth was seen in the industry group of public administration, education and human health and social work activities.

Hard to fill

In the last quarter of the year, 27% of all open job vacancies were fixed-term positions, while one year earlier the corresponding share was 31%.

The share of part-time positions in all open job vacancies was 16%, which is close to the level seen one year earlier.

Employers estimated that 47% of the open job vacancies were hard-to-fill, while the corresponding share one year earlier was 58%. For example, there were still plenty of jobs considered hard to fill in establishments of human health and social work activities, in health care and early childhood education tasks.