According to the latest job vacancy survey by Statistics Finland, the number of open job vacancies in the first quarter of 2023 decreased compared to the same period last year. The survey, which captures data from the first day of March, reveals that there were 80,800 open job vacancies in the first quarter of 2023, compared to 91,600 in the corresponding period one year earlier.
The survey highlights notable changes in the major regions of Finland. In Southern Finland, there was a significant decrease of 6,000 job vacancies compared to the previous year. The decline was particularly evident in the construction industry (F) and the industry group of trade, transportation and storage, accommodation, and food service activities (G to I).
Furthermore, the survey indicates a decrease in recruitment difficulties faced by employers. In the first quarter of 2023, 49% of job vacancies were considered hard-to-fill, a decrease of nine percentage points from the previous year.
Examining the characteristics of job vacancies, the survey shows that 73% of open job vacancies were in establishments owned by private enterprises, with a slight decrease compared to the previous year. In terms of industries, open job vacancies decreased significantly in the construction sector (F) and the industry group of trade, transport and storage, accommodation, and food service activities (G-I). However, the industry group of public administration, education, health, and social work activities (O-Q) experienced growth in the number of job vacancies.
Looking at the composition of job vacancies, 44% of all vacancies in the first quarter of 2023 were fixed-term positions, which was a seven-percentage-point increase from the previous year. Part-time jobs accounted for 25% of all vacancies, slightly higher than in the corresponding period last year.
Employers estimated that 49% of the open job vacancies were hard-to-fill, indicating a decrease from the previous year’s figure of 58%. Specific roles in high demand included practical nurses and registered nurses in the field of human health and social work activities (Q), as well as software developers in the information and communication industry group (J).