vacaturegraad

Vacaturegraad is a labor market metric that describes the proportion of open job vacancies relative to the available pool of job seekers. It is used to gauge how tight or loose the labor market is. The most common Dutch definition expresses the rate as the number of vacancies divided by the sum of vacancies and unemployed job seekers, times 100. In formula: vacaturegraad = (aantal vacatures) / (aantal vacatures + aantal werkzoekenden) × 100. This ratio can be calculated for the whole economy or broken down by sector, region, or occupation. Data are typically supplied by national statistics offices or employment agencies; in the Netherlands the CBS and UWV publish vacancy rates, with variants that differentiate by sector and region. A higher vacaturegraad indicates stronger demand for labor relative to supply, often associated with rising wages and recruitment difficulty. Conversely, a low vacancy rate signals slack in the labor market.

Interpretation requires caution: definitions and data sources vary between countries and over time, and not all vacancies are reported. The rate is also sensitive to the size of the labor force and to seasonal or temporary factors. Despite limitations, the vacancy rate is a key indicator in labor market analysis and is used by policymakers and businesses to assess employment conditions, forecast wage developments, and plan recruitment.