In Q1 2021, the job vacancy rate was 2.1% in the euro area, up from 1.9% in the previous quarter and 1.8% in Q1 2020, according to Eurostat. 

The job vacancy rate in the EU was 2.0% in Q1 2021, up from 1.8% in the previous quarter and the first quarter of 2020.

In the euro area, the job vacancy rate in the first three months to March was 1.9% in industry and construction and 2.2% in services. 

For the EU, the rate was 1.9% in industry and construction and 2.1% in services.

Among the Member States for which comparable data are available, the highest job vacancy rates in Q1 were recorded in Czechia (5.0%), Belgium (3.5%) and the Netherlands (3.0%). 

In contrast, the lowest rates were observed in Greece (0.3%) and Spain (0.7%).

Compared with the same quarter of the previous year, the job vacancy rate fell in eight Member States, remained stable in five Member States and increased in 12 Member States. 

Data was not available for France (Q1 2020) nor Ireland (Q1 2021).

The largest decreases were recorded in Czechia and Luxembourg (both -0.7 pp) and Sweden (-0.4 pp). 

The largest increases were recorded in Italy (+0.8 pp), Lithuania (+0.5 pp) and the Netherlands (+0.4 pp).

Source: Financial Mirror