There were 9,071 job vacancies in the last quarter of 2024
According to Statistics Estonia, in the fourth quarter of 2024, there were 9,071 job vacancies in the enterprises, institutions and organisations of Estonia. This is 1.4% less than in the same quarter in 2023. In the fourth quarter of last year, 6,705 persons left their job at the initiative of the employer.
The total number of vacant and occupied posts in the fourth quarter was a little under 599,000. “The number of vacant posts was the highest in public administration and defence and compulsory social security (1,277). The number of occupied posts was the greatest in manufacturing (98,898),” said Sigrid Saagpakk, analyst at Statistics Estonia.
Vacant posts accounted for 1.5% of the total number of posts. In addition to public administration, the other activities with a bigger number of job vacancies were information and communication (1,205), trade (1,187) and education (1,120).
The number of people leaving their job was the greatest in wholesale and retail trade
34,259 persons were hired in the fourth quarter last year. “Compared with the same quarter of 2023, the number of new hires was down by over 2,100,” explained Saagpakk.
The number of people leaving their job at the initiative of the employer was 6,705 – down by 451 compared with the fourth quarter of 2023. These people represented about 16% of all those who left their job. “Looking at the overall number of people leaving their job in the fourth quarter of 2024, this figure was the biggest in wholesale and retail trade where 6,550 persons left their job,” added Saagpakk.
The highest numbers of new hires were recorded in wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, and administrative and support service activities.
Labour flows are characterised by labour turnover (the total number of engaged employees and employees who left) which decreased by nearly 6% compared with the fourth quarter of 2023.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, the majority of job vacancies were in Harju county (75.7% of all vacant posts), followed by Tartu county (11.6%). In the same period, the largest share of occupied posts were also in Harju county (55.9% of all occupied posts) and Tartu county (11.2%), followed by Pärnu county (4.6%) and Ida-Viru county (2.8%).
To estimate the number of occupied posts and labour turnover, Statistics Estonia uses the data of the employment register of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board. Data on job vacancies are collected by Statistics Estonia with the questionnaire "Wages and salaries and labour force".
Job vacancy – a paid post that is newly created, unoccupied or about to become vacant, for which the employer is taking active steps and is prepared to take further steps to find a suitable candidate from outside the enterprise/institution/organisation concerned, and which the employer intends to fill either immediately or within a specific period of time.
Number of job vacancies – the quarterly average calculated based on three months' data, as at the end of each month.
Rate of job vacancies – the share of job vacancies in the total number of jobs.
The quarterly average number of vacant and occupied posts is published as at the end of the month. The main representative of public interest for the statistical activity is the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, commissioned by whom Statistics Estonia collects and analyses the data necessary for conducting the statistical activity.
More detailed data have been published in the statistical database.
See also the dedicated section on wages and salaries and labour costs.
When using Statistics Estonia’s data and graphs, please indicate the source.
For further information:
Susann Kivi
Communications Partner
Marketing and Dissemination Department
Statistics Estonia
Tel +372 5696 6484
press [at] stat.ee (press[at]stat[dot]ee)