At the end of Q1 there were 15.7 thousand job vacancies in the country, and the indicator has risen by 1.9 thousand, or by 13.6% YoY and by 1.3 thousand, or by 8.7% QoQ.
The number of job vacancies and the share thereof in the total number of posts (vacant and occupied) has been growing gradually since 2010. In Q1 the job vacancy rate reached 1.8%, which is slightly less than the European Union average indicator – 1.9%. Job vacancy rate in Lithuania constituted 1.6% and in Estonia 2%, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia.
In Q1 there were 5.8 thousand job vacancies in the public sector – 2% of all jobs in this sector, and in private sector the indicators constituted 9.9 thousand and 1.6% respectively.
During the year, the number of occupied posts rose by 4.6 thousand or by 0.5%, from 875.6 thousand at the end of Q1 2016 to 880.2 thousand at the end of Q1 2017. Compared to the end of 2016, the number of occupied jobs has decreased by 4.1 thousand or by 0.5%. In Q1 out of the total occupied posts, 591.5 thousand or 67.2% were occupied in private sector, and the share thereof in the total number of occupied posts in the country grew slightly over the year – by 0.1%.
In Q1 just like a year ago, the highest number of job vacancies was recorded in occupational groups of technicians and associate professionals, service and sales workers, professionals, craft and related trades workers. Compared to Q1 2016, among the mentioned occupation groups, the highest rise in the job vacancy number was observed amongst service and sales workers (of 15.6%) and professionals (15.1%).
Over the year, the sharpest increase in the number of job vacancies among other occupational groups was recorded in the group of plant and machine operators and assemblers. Whereas smaller job vacancy number in Q1 2017, as compared to the corresponding period of the previous year, was available to skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers and clerical support workers.
At the end of Q1 2017, the highest job vacancy rate was registered in public administration (4.7%), accommodation and food service activities (2.4%), water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities, construction, financial and insurance activities (2.2% in each), human health and social work activities (2.1%), manufacturing, and energy sector (2% in each).
In Q1 2017, the highest job vacancy rate among Latvia regions was observed in Riga (2.1%, or 10.5 thousand), whereas the lowest in Vidzeme (1% or 0.6 thousand). High increase in the job vacancy number was recorded in Vidzeme, Latgale and Zemgale region.
Compared to Q1 2016, the sharpest increase in the number of occupied posts was registered in information and communication (from 29.5 thousand to 31.7 thousand or by 7.5%) and construction (from 50.4 thousand to 52 thousand or 3.2%), human health and social work activities (from 64 thousand to 65.4 thousand or by 2.1%), water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities (from 7.6 thousand to 7.7 thousand or by 2.1%), as well as administrative and support service activities (from 36.4 thousand to 37.1 thousand or by 1.9%) in Q1 2017.
Over the year, decline in the number of occupied posts within the limits of 0.2-0.9% was recorded in several sectors: education, accommodation and food service activities, real estate activities, energy sector, financial and insurance activities, manufacturing, and wholesale and retail trade. The sharpest drop was observed in other service activities (this sector includes activities of public and other organizations; repair of computers and personal and household goods; washing and dry-cleaning; hairdressing and other beauty treatment; funeral and related activities, etc.) – of 5.5%. (BNN/Business World Magazine)
