Finland reports higher employment and surge in job ads, led by traditionally male sectors

Finland’s labour market showed improvement in August, with 34,000 more people aged 15-74 employed compared with the previous year and the number of unemployed falling by 5,000, according to Tilastokeskus. The agency’s senior official Tatu Leskinen explained that the gain was driven largely by men entering sectors traditionally dominated by males, including manufacturing, construction and related technical fields. Duunitori published roughly 23,000 job ads for the month, matching the previous year’s total but revealing sectoral shifts: postings for manufacturing, technology, construction and installation, maintenance and repair jobs all increased, while ads in social care, health, cleaning and personnel services declined.

Salary data from Duunitori indicate that the most in-demand roles now pay between €2,385 and €5,235 monthly, based on 2024 national figures. Geographically, the biggest rise in ad volume occurred in Uusimaa and Helsinki, yet the highest proportional growth was recorded in Kymenlaakso, with Seinäjoki and Kouvola also seeing notable increases. Overall, more than 60,000 ads were posted during the summer, a 3 % rise from the previous year, though the full impact on employment may appear later due to recruitment timelines.