The number of job vacancies decreased by a fourth year on year
According to Statistics Estonia, in the third quarter of 2020, there were 8,689 vacancies in the enterprises, institutions and organisations of Estonia. This is 27% less than in the third quarter of 2019. The biggest labour turnover was recorded in wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, and education.
The total number of vacant and occupied posts was 607,125. The largest share of these posts were in manufacturing, trade, and education. The number of vacancies was the highest in education (1,501), manufacturing (1,202) and wholesale and retail trade (1,158).
According to Argo Tarkiainen, analyst at Statistics Estonia, the rate of job vacancies, which is the share of job vacancies in the total number of posts, was 1.4%. 44% of all job vacancies were in the public sector. “The rate of job vacancies was the highest in education and the lowest in agriculture and in mining and quarrying,” he added.
Most of the vacant posts were in Harju county (78%), including Tallinn (67%), followed by Tartu county (6.1%) and Ida-Viru county (4.6%). The rate of job vacancies was the highest in Harju and Valga counties, and the lowest in Põlva county.
In the third quarter, 57,463 persons were hired and 59,924 persons left work. Labour flows are characterised by labour turnover (the total number of engaged employees and employees who left) which decreased by one percent compared to the third quarter of 2019. “Both the number of new hires and the number of employees who left work were the biggest in wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing, and education. 8,368 employees left their job on the employer’s initiative, which represented 14% of all the employees who left work,” said Tarkiainen.
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. The quarterly average number of job vacancies 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.
More detailed data have been published in the statistical database.
See also the dedicated section on wages and salaries and labour costs.
For further information:
Kadri Kütt
Media Relations Manager
Marketing and Dissemination Department
Statistics Estonia
Tel +372 625 9181