Job vacancies, Q2 2012

For the first time since its introduction in 2010, the survey on job vacancies shows a decrease in the number of job vacancies compared to the same quarter the previous year. The job vacancy rate was 2.9 per cent in the 2nd quarter of 2012; down 0.3 percentage points from the 2nd quarter of 2011. The 2nd quarter has been the quarter with the highest number of job vacancies in both 2010 and 2011.

Decrease in residential care activities, growth in education

The number of job vacancies in residential care activities decreased by 2 400 from the 2nd quarter of 2011 to the same quarter of 2012. Despite the decrease, this industry remains among those with the highest rates of job vacancies. Also in accommodation and food service activities, domestic trade and construction there was a decrease of job vacancies during the last year. In these industries, the number of job vacancies was reduced by 1 500, 1 400 and 1 200 respectively. In education, however, there was a growth of 1 700 job vacancies from the 2nd quarter of 2011 to the same quarter of 2012.

Most job vacancies in administrative and support service activities

Despite a small decrease last year, administrative and support service activities had the highest number and the highest rate of job vacancies in the 2nd quarter of 2012. The 9 900 job vacancies in this industry correspond to 6.9 per cent of all the posts in the industry. Both education and domestic trade had 6 900 job vacancies in the 2nd quarter of 2012, corresponding to job vacancy rates of 3.2 and 1.9 per cent respectively. The 6 000 job vacancies in residential care activities correspond to a rate of 4.2 per cent.

Continued high job vacancy rate in Germany

The job vacancy rate in Germany was 2.6 per cent in the 1st quarter of 2012. Germany is among the countries with the highest job vacancy rates in the EU, a position the country has held during the last couple of years. In comparison, the EU countries combined had a job vacancy rate of 1.5 per cent in the 1st quarter of 2012. In Norway, the job vacancy rate was 2.8 per cent during the same period. The comparison with other countries is based on the 1st quarter of 2012 as the figures of the 2nd quarter have not yet been published. Agriculture, forestry and fishing are excluded from this international comparison. For more information is available on Eurostat’s website .

Tables:

• Table 1 Job vacancies, by major industry division
• Table 2 Job vacancy rate, by major industry division. Percentage of job vacancies in relation to the number of posts (job vacancies and occupied posts) in each group