Economy

Finland’s job market shows tentative signs of stabilisation as open vacancies rise

Finland’s labour market has recorded its first year-on-year increase in open job vacancies since early 2022, marking a potential halt to a prolonged decline. According to Statistics Finland, there were 29,600 open positions in the second quarter of 2026, a 2% rise compared to the same period last year (Yle; Daily Finland).

While the increase is modest, it reverses a four-year trend of quarterly declines. However, experts caution against interpreting the figures as a definitive recovery. Matti Lahdenmäki, Chief Actuary at Statistics Finland, stated that the growth may still be within statistical margins of error, though the halt in the long-term decline is notable (Yle).

Sector and regional trends

The construction sector saw the largest increase in job vacancies, with 1,400 more openings than in the second quarter of 2025. Despite this growth, the number of construction jobs remains among the lowest recorded in the past decade (Yle). Other sectors did not report significant changes.

Regionally, Uusimaa and southern Finland led the rise in job openings, with the Helsinki-Uusimaa region accounting for an increase of 1,600 vacancies (Daily Finland). In contrast, western, northern, and eastern Finland saw either stagnation or slight declines in available positions.

Employer and job characteristics

Private enterprises accounted for 66% of all open vacancies, with 19,500 positions—an increase of 600 from the previous year (Daily Finland). The largest growth in job postings was observed in small and medium-sized enterprises (10–49 employees), which saw a rise of 1,500 vacancies.

The nature of available jobs also shifted slightly. Fixed-term contracts made up 34% of all vacancies, down five percentage points from last year, while part-time positions increased by 15%, now comprising 19% of all openings (Daily Finland). Employers reported that 33% of vacancies were hard-to-fill, a slight decrease from the previous year.

The data reflects the labour market situation as of 1 June 2026 (Yle). While the figures suggest a possible stabilisation, analysts emphasise that further trends will be needed to confirm a sustained recovery.

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