The job vacancy rate in the Euro area (EA-19) was 1.7 % in the first quarter of 2016, up from 1.6 % in the previous quarter and the first quarter of 2015, according to Eurostat, the statistical body of the European Union.

The job vacancy rate in the EU-28 was 1.8 % in the first quarter of 2016, up from 1.7 % in the previous quarter and the first quarter of 2015.

In the first quarter of 2016, Malta (3.6 %), Belgium (2.6 %), the Czech Republic, Germany and Sweden (all 2.5 %) had the highest job vacancy rates while France, Italy, Poland (all 0.5 %), Spain, Portugal (both 0.7 %) and Greece (0.2 %) had the lowest.

Compared with a year ago, the job vacancy rate in the first quarter of 2016 rose in 22 Member States, remained stable in three and fell in three. The largest increases were registered in Malta (+1.2%), Latvia (+1.0%) and the Czech Republic (+0.8%). The only decreases were recorded in Greece (-0.6% between the fourth quarter of 2014 and the fourth quarter of 2015), Ireland and Cyprus (both -0.1%).

The job vacancy rate, in part, reflects the unmet demand for labour, as well as potential mismatches between the skills and availability of those who are unemployed and those sought by employers.