The number of open job positions fell by nearly 40 percent in the second quarter compared to a year earlier, Statistics Finland reports.
The number of job openings decreased particularly in the private sector and the construction industry.
There were 28,900 open positions in the second quarter of this year — over a third fewer than a year earlier, when 47,000 positions were available. The data reflects the situation on 1 June and is based on the stats agency's job vacancy survey.
"Open job positions were exceptionally low at the beginning of June. The last time levels were this low was in 2016, and even at the peak of the Covid pandemic, more jobs were available than now," said Matti Lahdenmäki, Senior Statistician at the number crunching agency.
He said the number of open positions fell sharply during the pandemic, surged to record levels in early 2022, and has since declined again.
Private sector positions plummet
In the private sector, there were 18,800 open positions in the second quarter of the past year, down from 34,700 at the same time last year. Overall, open positions in private sector establishments fell by 46 percent.
"The situation in the private sector is notable, as the number of open positions has nearly halved from last year. The last time such low levels were recorded at private companies was in 2015," he said.
Among industries, construction saw the steepest decline. In the second quarter, there were 1,500 open positions, down from 5,800 a year earlier.
