The job vacancy rate in the Euro Area (EA19) was 1.9 % in the third quarter of 2017, stable compared with the previous quarter and up from 1.6 % in the third quarter of 2016, according to figures published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In the EU28, the job vacancy rate was 2.0 % in the third quarter of 2017, stable compared with the previous quarter and up from 1.7 % in the third quarter of 2016
In the euro area, the job vacancy rate in the third quarter of 2017 was 1.6% in industry and construction, and 2.2% in services. In the EU28, the rate was 1.7% in industry and construction, and 2.3% in services.
Member States
Among the Member States for which comparable data are available (see country notes), the highest job vacancy rates in the third quarter of 2017 were recorded in the Czech Republic (4.1 %), Belgium (3.6%), Germany (2.7 %), Austria and the United Kingdom (both 2.6 %), the Netherlands (2.5 %) and Hungary (2.4 %). In contrast, the lowest rates were observed in Greece (0.5 %), Bulgaria and Spain (both 0.8 %) as well as Portugal (0.9 %).
Compared with the same quarter of the previous year and among the Member States for which data are comparable over time (see country notes), the job vacancy rate in the third quarter of 2017 rose in twenty-two Member States, remained stable in two and fell in Greece (-0.3 percentage points – pp), Romania (-0.2 pp) and Cyprus (-0.1 pp). The largest increases were registered in the Czech Republic (+1.0 pp), Belgium and Austria (both +0.7 pp), Slovenia (+0.6 pp) and the Netherlands (+0.5 pp).
Country notes
Denmark, France, Italy and Malta: data are not strictly comparable. In France and Italy, only business units with 10 employees or more are surveyed. Moreover, in the case of public administration, education and human health (NACE Rev. 2 sections O, P and Q), public institutions are not covered. In Malta, only units with 10 employees or more are surveyed. In Denmark, only units within the business economy (NACE Rev 2 sections B to N) are surveyed.
Malta: Data are not strictly comparable over time due to the methodological changes introduced in the first quarter of 2017.
Compared with the rates published in News Release 140/2017 of 15 September 2017, the job vacancy rate for the second quarter of 2017 remains unchanged in both the euro area and the EU28.