In the third quarter of 2023, there was an increase of 3,100 positions (33.8%) in the number of job vacancies, reaching 12,274, compared to the same period last year, which had 9,174.

Compared to the second quarter of 2023, there was a decrease of 753 positions (-5.8%), according to the Statistical Service.

The vacancy rate as a percentage of total employees and vacancies in the third quarter of 2023 was 2.9%, consistent with the previous quarter and up from 2.2% in the same period of 2022.

The Statistical Service reports the highest vacancy rates in the third quarter of 2023 in Administrative and Support Service Activities (4.5%), Information and Communication (4.0%), and Accommodation and Food Service Activities (3.9%).

Additionally, the total number of employees in the Broader Public Sector increased by 1,878 in the third quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022, primarily due to increases in Non-Profit Organizations (NPOs) and Local Authorities. However, there was a decrease of 1,019 compared to the second quarter of the current year.

Specifically, the total number of employees in the Broader Public Sector was 72,307 in the third quarter of 2023, compared to 70,429 in the same quarter of 2022 and 73,326 in the second quarter of 2023.

Employment in the General Government in the third quarter of 2023 was 66,496, up from 64,726 in the same quarter of 2022. In Government-controlled Companies and Enterprises, the number was 5,811, up from 5,703.

In the General Government, which includes the Government, NPOs, and Local Authorities, employment was 52,237 (down from 52,730 in the third quarter of 2022), 9,733 (up from 7,626), and 4,526 (up from 4,370) respectively.