The number of job vacancies in Estonia remains over 10,000

Compared to the 1st quarter of 2018, the number of job vacancies increased by 8% and compared to 4th quarter of 2018, by 9%.

The total number of posts (vacant and occupied) was 608,150 in the 1st quarter of 2019, having increased by nearly 2% compared to the previous quarter. The economic activities of manufacturing (18%), wholesale and retail trade (15%) and education (10%) continued to have the largest shares in the total number of posts. Manufacturing and wholesale and retail trade are the biggest employers in Estonia – in the 1st quarter of 2019, there were respectively nearly 1,500 and 1,800 job vacancies in these activities. Manufacturing and wholesale and retail trade were followed by public administration and defence with 1,100 vacant posts.

The rate of job vacancies, i.e. the share of job vacancies in the total number of posts, was 1.9% in the 1st quarter of 2019, which is 0.1 percentage points higher than in the 1st quarter of 2018. In the 1st quarter, the rate of job vacancies was highest in information and communication (3.7%) and in financial and insurance activities (3.0%) and lowest in agriculture (0.8%) and in mining and quarrying (0.2%).

In the 1st quarter, 27% of the vacant posts were in the public sector. The rate of job vacancies was highest in enterprises owned by foreign private entities (2.6%) and in state institutions and enterprises (2.1%). The rate of job vacancies was 2% in municipal institutions and enterprises and 1.6% in enterprises owned by Estonian private entities.

Most of the vacant posts were available in Harju county (75%), including Tallinn (64%), followed by Tartu county (8%) and Pärnu (4%) and Ida-Viru (3%) counties. The rate of job vacancies was highest in Harju (2.4%) and Jõgeva (2.4%) counties and lowest in Hiiu (0.2%) and Põlva (0.4%) counties. 

The movement of labour is characterised by labour turnover (the total number of engaged and left employees), which amounted to nearly 90,000 in the 1st quarter of 2019, having decreased by 10% compared to the previous quarter. However, compared to the 1st quarter of 2018, labour turnover stayed at the same level. In the 1st quarter of 2019, both the number of employees hired and the number of employees who left their job remained highest in manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade and construction. 12% of all the employees who left their job were employees who left on the employer’s initiative.

Statistics Estonia has conducted the vacant and occupied posts and labour turnover survey since 2005. In 2019, the sample includes 8,300 enterprises, institutions and organisations, and also non-profit organisations and foundations with less than 50 employees have been included in the population.

Statistics Estonia uses the data of the employment register of the Estonian Tax and Customs Board to estimate the number of occupied posts and labour turnover.

The quarterly average number of job vacancies and occupied posts is published as at the end of the month. The number of job vacancies is the quarterly average number of job vacancies as at the end of the month. 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 seeking a suitable candidate from outside the enterprise, institution or organisation concerned.

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.