Over 10,000 job vacancies in Estonia

Compared to the 1st quarter of 2019 as well as to the 2nd quarter of 2018, the number of job vacancies decreased by 2%. The total number of vacant and occupied posts was 611,180, which is nearly 0.5% more compared to the previous quarter. The economic activities of manufacturing (18%), wholesale and retail trade (15%) and education (10%) still hold the largest shares in the total number of posts. Manufacturing and wholesale and retail trade are also the biggest employers in Estonia – in the 2nd quarter of 2019, there were respectively 1,585 and 2,151 job vacancies in these activities. These were followed by public administration and defence with 1,145 and education with 1,134 vacant posts.

The rate of job vacancies, i.e. the share of job vacancies in the total number of posts, was 1.8% in the 2nd quarter of 2019, which is 0.1 percentage points lower than in the 2nd quarter of 2018. The rate of job vacancies was highest in information and communication (3.0%) and in public administration and defence (2.9%), but lowest in mining and quarrying (0.4%) and real estate activities (0.2%).

Vacant posts in the public sector accounted for 30% of all job vacancies. The rate of job vacancies was highest in enterprises owned by foreign private entities (2.4%). In state and municipal institutions and enterprises, the rate was 2.2% and, in enterprises owned by Estonian private entities, 1.5%.

Most of the vacant posts were in Harju county (77%), including Tallinn (64%), followed by Tartu county (8%) and Pärnu and Ida-Viru counties (3% each). The rate of job vacancies was highest in Harju (2.4%) and Saare (1.8%) counties and lowest in Põlva county (0.3%). 

The movement of labour is characterised by labour turnover (the total number of engaged and left employees), which amounted to nearly 116,000 in the 2nd quarter of 2019. Labour turnover increased by 22% on the previous quarter and 2% on the same period of the previous year. Both the number of employees hired and the number of employees who left their job remained highest in wholesale and retail trade, manufacturing and construction. 10% of all the employees who left their job 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.