In 2020, the number of vacancies decreased from the previous year. The Employment and Economy Development Offices had a total of 741,500 vacancies in 2020, down by 96,200 on the previous year. The number of new vacancies reported to Employment and Economic Development Offices during the year totalled 687,000, which is 102,100 less than in 2019. During 2020, 113,900 of the vacancies were filled. Compared to the previous year, the number of vacancies increased only in the area of the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre) for North Ostrobothnia (1,000) and Ostrobothnia (500) and in skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers (58 %) and unknown (23 %) occupations. Compared to the previous year, the number of vacancies decreased most in the area of the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centre) for Uusimaa (-51,800), Southwest Finland ( 6,600) and Häme (-5,900) and plant and machine operators, and assemblers (-25 %), armed forces (-24 %), clerical support workers (-19 %), service and sales workers (-16 %) and professionals (-14 %). On average, the number of vacancies per month during 2020 amounted to 111,400, of which 57,100 were new vacancies.

In 2020, the number of jobseekers registered at Employment and Economic Development Offices totalled 1,064,500, up 295,200 on the previous year. The number of jobseekers increased in areas of all ELY Centres. The increase was greatest in Uusimaa (54 %), Ostrobothnia (53 %), Southwest Finland (45 %), South Ostrobothnia (38 %) and Pirkanmaa (36 %). When examined by occupational group, the number of jobseekers increased from the previous year in all groups, the greatest increase being in the groups of managers (77 %), unknown (59 %), plant and machine operators, and assemblers (41 %), service and sales workers (41 %), technicians and associate professionals (41 %) and professionals (36 %). The average duration of a job-seeking period was 39 weeks. During 2020, a total of 1,144,000, job-seeking periods were completed, 48 per cent of them ending with employment in the open labour market. In 2020, the average number of jobseekers at the end of the month was 666,900, representing an increase of 138,800 on the previous year.

The number of unemployed jobseekers increased in 2020. A total of 836,700 people were registered as unemployed jobseekers in 2020, which is 273,600 more than in the previous year. Compared to 2019, the number of unemployed jobseekers increased in the areas of all ELY Centres: the increase was greatest in Ostrobothnia (73 %), Uusimaa (66 %), Southwest Finland (54 %), South Ostrobothnia (48 %), Pirkanmaa (46 %), Häme (40 %) and North Savo (40 %). Of all the unemployed jobseekers, 52 per cent were men. The most-affected age group was 25 to 34-year-olds, representing 25 per cent of those unemployed. The majority of unemployed jobseekers had upper secondary level qualifications (52%). The average duration of completed spells of unemployment was 15 weeks, while for continuing spells of unemployment the average duration was 41 weeks. In 2020, 76 per cent of unemployed people had been at work before their spell of unemployment began. Correspondingly, 46 per cent of completed spells 798,400 of unemployment during the year ended with employment in the open labour market. In 2020, a total of 342,400, people on average were registered as unemployed jobseekers at the end of the month, an increase of 102,000 people on the previous year.