The number of open jobs in Finland fell sharply during the first quarter of 2026 as employers reduced hiring across both private and public sectors, according to new figures from Statistics Finland.
Statistics Finland reported 48,600 open vacancies at the start of March, down 15 per cent from 57,500 vacancies recorded a year earlier.
The decline reflected weaker labour demand across all regions and company sizes during the opening months of the year.
The largest regional drop came in southern Finland, where the number of vacancies fell by 4,600 compared with the same period in 2025.
By sector, the steepest decline appeared in public administration, education and health and social services, where vacancies dropped by 2,700 positions.
Statistics Finland said vacancies decreased across workplaces of every size category.
Private companies accounted for most open positions despite the decline. Around 30,400 vacancies, equal to 62 per cent of the total, were located in privately owned businesses.
The private sector also recorded the largest numerical fall, with 6,800 fewer vacancies than one year earlier.
Temporary jobs made up a smaller share of vacancies compared with last year. Statistics Finland said 51 per cent of open positions were fixed-term roles, down from 56 per cent in the first quarter of 2025.
At the same time, part-time jobs became slightly more common. Their share of all vacancies rose to 20 per cent from 18 per cent a year earlier.
Employers also reported fewer recruitment difficulties than during the previous year.
According to the survey, 26 per cent of vacancies were considered difficult to fill, compared with 30 per cent during the same quarter in 2025.
HT