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Official Statistics Portal of Latvia

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Press release

Number of job vacancies reduced by 10.3 % in Q3 2024

Central Statistical Bureau data show that in Q3 2024 there were 22.9 thousand job vacancies in Latvia, which is 2.6 thousand vacancies or 10.3 % fewer than in Q3 2023.

In private sector there were 12.2 thousand and in public sector 10.7 thousand vacant jobs. Over the year, the number of job vacancies in private sector fell by 2.2 thousand or 15.6 % and in public sector by 0.4 thousand or 3.3 %.

Out of all jobs available in Latvia (both occupied and vacant), 2.5 % positions were vacant, of which 3.6 % in public and 2.0 % in private sector.

Compared to Q3 2023, in Q3 2024 the average number of occupied posts in the country went down by 2.4 thousand or 0.3 %. In private sector it dropped by 2.9 thousand or 0.5 % and in public grew by 0.5 thousand or 0.2 %.

Refer to the OSP database: DVB010c, NBB160c

Job vacancies and occupied posts by sector

 

End of Q3 2023,
thousand

End of Q2 2024,
thousand

Change, %

Job vacancies, total

25.5

22.9

−10.3

private sector

14.4

12.2

−15.6

public sector

11.1

10.7

−3.3

Occupied posts, total

888.3

885.9

−0.3

private sector

602.2

599.2

−0.5

public sector

286.1

286.6

0.2

In terms of major occupational groups, the largest share of job vacancies was recorded among technicians and associate professionals (4.2 %), elementary occupations (2.9 %), as well as craft and related trades workers (2.8 %).

Occupations meet the Latvian Classification of Occupations (which is based on the International Standard Classification of Occupations).

In the context of economic activities, the greatest proportion of job vacancies was recorded in public administration (8.0 %), followed by administrative and support service activities (3.2 %), as well as information and communication (3.0 %).

Job vacancies and occupied posts by economic activity

 

End of Q3 2023

End of Q3 2024

Job vacancies,
thousand

Occupied posts,
thousand

Job vacancy rate, %

Job vacancies,
thousand

Occupied posts,
thousand

Job vacancy rate, %

Total

25.5

888.3

2.8

22.9

885.9

2.5

Agriculture, forestry and fishing (A)

0.2

22.8

0.9

0.2

22.8

0.9

Mining and quarrying (B)

0.1

3.5

2.0

0.1

3.5

1.6

Manufacturing (C)

2.9

112.0

2.5

3.2

108.9

2.8

Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (D)

0.2

10.1

2.1

0.3

10.2

2.6

Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities (E)

0.1

7.0

1.8

0.1

6.9

1.5

Construction (F)

1.7

60.0

2.8

1.3

58.7

2.2

Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (G)

2.8

137.6

2.0

2.1

135.7

1.6

Transportation and storage (H)

2.0

66.9

3.0

1.9

65.4

2.8

Accommodation and food service activities (I)

1.0

31.6

3.0

0.6

32.5

1.8

Information and communication (J)

1.1

39.8

2.7

1.2

40.0

3.0

Financial and insurance activities (K)

0.4

16.6

2.4

0.3

17.2

1.9

Real estate activities (L)

0.4

27.7

1.5

0.4

27.4

1.5

Professional, scientific and technical activities (M)

0.4

39.3

1.0

0.4

39.1

1.0

Administrative and support service activities (N)

2.0

39.3

4.8

1.3

39.8

3.2

Public administration and defence; compulsory social security (O)

5.9

61.5

8.8

5.4

62.1

8.0

Education (P)

1.7

95.4

1.7

1.4

94.8

1.5

Human health and social work activities (Q)

2.2

83.5

2.6

2.4

86.7

2.6

Arts, entertainment and recreation (R)

0.3

22.4

1.3

0.3

22.9

1.1

Other service activities (S)

0.1

11.3

0.5

0.0

11.4

0.4

Regional breakdown of the Q3 2024 data shows the largest share of vacant jobs in Riga (3.4 % or 16.7 thousand) and the smallest in Kurzeme and Latgale (1.1 % or 1.0 thousand and 1.1 % or 0.7 thousand, respectively). In Zemgale region 1.3 % of jobs or 0.9 thousand positions were vacant and in Vidzeme 1.2 % or 0.7 thousand.

Among the three Baltic states, the greatest proportion of job vacancies was recorded in Latvia – 2.5 % – followed by Lithuania with 2.1 % and Estonia with 1.6 %. Over the year, number of vacant jobs in Lithuania grew by 6.0 % while in Latvia and Estonia reduced by 10.3 % and 17.7 %, respectively.

Data source: Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia

Media requests:
Public Relations Section
E-mail: media@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 27880666

More information on data:
Santa Maļinovska
Wage Statistics Section
E-mail: Santa.Malinovska@csp.gov.lv
Phone: +371 67366666

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