Job vacancy statistics (jvs)

National Reference Metadata in ESS Standard for Quality Reports Structure (ESQRS)

Compiling agency: National Institute of statistics (INSEE)


Eurostat metadata
Reference metadata
1. Contact
2. Statistical presentation
3. Statistical processing
4. Quality management
5. Relevance
6. Accuracy and reliability
7. Timeliness and punctuality
8. Coherence and comparability
9. Accessibility and clarity
10. Cost and Burden
11. Confidentiality
12. Comment
Related Metadata
Annexes (including footnotes)
 



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1. Contact Top
1.1. Contact organisation

National Institute of statistics (INSEE)
1.2. Contact organisation unit

DARES (Direction de l'animation de la recherche, des études et des statistiques)
1.5. Contact mail address

Dares

39-43 Quai Andre Citroen

75902 Paris Cedex 15


2. Statistical presentation Top
2.1. Data description

Job vacancy statistics (JVS) provide information on the level and structure of labour demand. The country transmits to Eurostat the quarterly data on the number of job vacancies and the number of occupied posts as well as provides the quality report under the JVS framework regulation and the two implementing regulations: the implementing regulation on the definition of a job vacancy, the reference dates for data collection, data transmission specifications and feasibility studies, as well as the implementing regulation on seasonal adjustment procedures and quality reports.
2.2. Classification system

The quarterly data are broken down by economic activity (at section level) in accordance with NACE Rev. 2 - Statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community.
2.3. Coverage - sector

NACE sections B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R and S.

The section O (public administration) is not covered.

In sections P and Q, we only cover the competitive activities… In other terms, we do not cover public jobs inside these sections.
2.4. Statistical concepts and definitions

A 'job vacancy' is defined as a paid post that is newly created, unoccupied, or about to become vacant:

(a) for which the employer is taking active steps and is prepared to take further steps to find a suitable candidate from outside the enterprise concerned; and

(b) which the employer intends to fill either immediately or within a specific period of time.

 

‘Active steps to find a suitable candidate’ include:

- notifying the job vacancy to the public employment services,

- contacting a private employment agency/head hunters,

- advertising the vacancy in the media (for example internet, newspapers, magazines),

- advertising the vacancy on a public notice board,

- approaching, interviewing or selecting possible candidates/potential recruits directly,

- approaching employees and/or personal contacts,

- using internships.

 

'Specific period of time’ refers to the maximum time the vacancy is open and intended to be filled. That period shall be unlimited; all vacancies for which active steps are continuing on the reference date shall be reported.

 

An 'occupied post’ means a paid post within the organisation to which an employee has been assigned.
2.5. Statistical unit

In quarterly ACEMO survey, statistical unit is « establishment », which corresponds to the local operating unit but sometimes, for the biggest entreprises or the one who have lots of establishments, it's the « enterprise » which corresponds to the legal unit (including all of the establishment).
2.6. Statistical population

Local units with 10 and more employees
2.7. Reference area

France and overseas departments (except Mayotte)
2.8. Coverage - Time

From 2003Q2
2.9. Base period

ACEMO is a quarterly survey.

For this quarterly survey, we send the questionnaire to the establishments at the beginning of each quarter. We ask them if they will undertake active research of candidates outside of the establishment, immediately or within the next three months. Consequently, the reference period corresponds to the complete quarter.


3. Statistical processing Top
3.1. Source data
Identification of the source of the data Quarterly Acemo survey
Coverage
- Geographical France and overseas departments (except Mayotte)
- NACE NACE sections B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S
- Enterprise size Local units with 10 or more employees
Definition of the statistical unit Local units
Remarks Quarterly Acemo survey : Sometimes information on wages policy, employment and working hours is centralised at the headquarters of the enterprise, and so enterprises have the option of replying as a group, one questionnaire being used for all the establishments. In this survey a 'unit' is the entity sampled (the establishment, and in 5% of cases, the enterprise). The grouped units account for 40% of the sample size.
Sampling design
Base used for the sample Acemo survey management database and extract from the Sirene register.
Sampling design The units with 250 or more employees are selected exhaustively. For the rest of the field, the sample for the quarterly survey is selected using a Neyman optimal allocation method to which a local accuracy constraint has been added to ensure that the lowest accuracy obtained for the estimators in the publication strata does not exceed a fixed threshold (accuracy threshold of 5% in all publication strata). This minimum accuracy constraint in the publication strata means that a minimum number of questionnaires have to be selected in the sampling strata. In addition to these statistical accuracy constraints there are realistic constraints on the maximum possible sampling rate imposed by the size of the units. The problem of optimal allocation has been resolved using an algorithmic method. The sampling plan for the quarterly Acemo survey also incorporates panel constraints. A panel was necessary because the main indicators derived from the survey are indices which change from one quarter to another (changes in basic monthly salaries, changes in the employed workforce). It was decided that the sample should rotate in the case of units with fewer than 250 employees; they are in theory surveyed for a maximum of four successive years.
Retention/renewal of sampling units The sample is a panel, a quarter of which is renewed each year.
Sample size 38213 units (from 2022Q1 to 2022Q3), 38395 (2022Q4).
Stratification Stratification on the basis of two criteria: sector of activity (88 positions) and size of unit (6 employment size classes)
Other sources
Maintenance agency Not applicable
Updating frequency Not applicable
Rules for clearance (of outdated information) Not applicable
Voluntary/compulsory reporting and sanctions Not applicable
Remarks  
3.2. Frequency of data collection
Reference dates
The last day of the quarter
3.3. Data collection
Brief description of the data collection method(s) Remarks
Questionnaires are sent by post. In quarterly ACEMO survey, enterprises can answer online if they want to.  
3.4. Data validation

Optional
3.5. Data compilation
Brief description of the weighting method Weighting dimensions
The weightings used in calculating the estimators using the data from Acemo surveys are based on the workforce by establishment (individual weightings) and the workforce by stratum resulting from the sampling frame (APE x size, aggregated weightings). See information in the first column
3.6. Adjustment

Optional


4. Quality management Top
4.1. Quality assurance

Optional
4.2. Quality management - assessment

Optional


5. Relevance Top
5.1. Relevance - User Needs
Description of the national users and their main needs Remarks
These data are produced to inform public authorities, researchers and enterprises about economic information on job vacancies, detailed by sector of activity and by size of enterprise (number of employees).  
5.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Extent to which the needs of national users are satisfied (voluntary) Remarks
Not available  
5.3. Completeness
Description of missing variables and missing breakdowns of the variables Report progress on the implementation measures regarding quarterly job vacancies statistics of Regulation (EC) No 453/2008, including :

- a detailed plan and timetable for completing implementation

- a summary of the remaining deviations from EU concepts
Measuring public service sector job vacancies (Nace sector O). Measuring public service sector job vacancies

In order to meet the obligations arising from the 2008 Regulation, Dares provided Eurostat on 30 January 2010 with two feasibility studies on extending the measurement of job vacancies in the field of enterprises with fewer than 10 employees from the competitive sector to the non-competitive sector.

The first feasibility study concluded that it would be necessary to improve the wording of the question on job vacancies contained in the quarterly survey on activity and conditions of employment for labour (Acemo) conducted by Dares among enterprises with 10 or more employees in the competitive sector. It also explained that France would be able to provide Eurostat, in the course of 2011, with an initial estimate of the number of posts which had been vacant at the end of 2010 in enterprises with fewer than 10 employees in the competitive sector, on the basis of a question to that effect included in the annual survey which Dares conducts in this regard. The estimate would then be updated annually.

The second feasibility study provided details of the ways in which job vacancies might be estimated in the public service sector but concluded that the information systems in existence at the time meant that it would be impossible to collect such data before 2012 at the earliest.

The question on job vacancies in the quarterly Acemo survey among enterprises with 10 or more employees in the competitive sector was reworded in the survey on the 4th quarter of 2010. The rewording was intended to improve the way in which job vacancies are measured by changing where the question came in the Acemo survey and providing in particular a more precise definition than previously of the concept of 'job vacancy' (box 1). Since February 2011, twice a quarter, 45 and 75 days after the end of the quarter to which the estimate relates, Dares has provided Eurostat with sectoral estimates of job vacancies in enterprises with 10 or more employees in the competitive sector (series of numbers of job vacancies and numbers of occupied posts, from which the rate of job vacancies in each sector can be reconstituted). The field covered by the estimate is in line with that of the quarterly Acemo survey and thus relates to enterprises active in the competitive sector in France which employ at least 10 staff. The following sectors are excluded: agriculture, fishing and forestry, public administration, social welfare under the 1901 Act, associations of owners of multi-apartment buildings, employer households and extraterritorial activities. Moreover, the employed workforce does not include temporary agency staff or trainees.
5.3.1. Data completeness - rate

Optional


6. Accuracy and reliability Top
6.1. Accuracy - overall

Optional
6.2. Sampling error

See 6.2.1
6.2.1. Sampling error - indicators
Coefficient of variation (taking into account the sampling design) or estimated sampling error for the number of job vacancies (see guidelines).
The coefficients of variation for the variables "rate of job vacancies" and 'number of job vacancies' are available for each quarter of year 2021, broken down by sectors of activity in the NAF. Cf. in Annex 'Coefficient of variation'.


Annexes:
Coefficients of variation 2022 - ACEMO survey
6.3. Non-sampling error
Information on variables with non-negligible measurement and processing errors Information on main sources of (non-negligible) measurement and processing errors and, if available, on methods applied for correction Estimation bias: An assessment of the non-sampling errors, in terms of the absolute number of vacant posts, for the total number of job vacancies and, where possible, for aggregation level of NACE Rev. 2 specified in Annex 1 to this Regulation and size classes (1-9, 10 + employees). Remarks
Not available Not available Since the 4th quarter of 2010 and the introduction of the new question on job vacancies which is closer to Eurostat's definition, a quantitative gain has been observed. In general terms, the survey of job vacancies and the understanding of the concept do not pose any significant problems to the establishments surveyed. There are nonetheless a number of points which are not understood and which could give rise to minor errors in the estimates:
  • -the Eurostat definition refers to recruitment 'immediately or in the near future'. The word 'near' is ambiguous; establishments do not understand the time-scale of the survey and may decide to respond in respect of a given point in time (i.e. to 'immediately') or over a period (i.e. to 'near future', e.g. 'intend to recruit 5 000 employees over the course of the next six months'). Since 2012, the words 'near future' have been replaced in the questionnaire by the words 'in the next three months', in response to comments from units which had difficulty in completing this question.
  • the concept of 'actively seeking candidates' is also perceived as slightly vague by the establishments responding to the survey and some of these sometimes include posts which they are not looking to fill (posts occupied by people on temporary contracts or who are about to retire).

An explanatory note to the survey questionnaire and a Frequently Asked Questions page, both accessible to the general public, have been introduced to explain the different points which give rise to these various problems.

The explanatory note can be found at:

http://travail-emploi.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/NoticeTrim2011-maj_nov2011.pdf,

 

From 2015Q4 onwards, ACEMO team improved the methodology used to correct nonresponse (specifically regarding the question concerning job vacancies). This change has however created a level shift in raw job vacancies data.

 

From 2018Q4, Acemo survey's field was extended. The survey coverage was extended to divisions 87 and 88 of NACE, which corresponds to :

- 87 : social and medicosocial accommodation

- 88 : social work activities without accommodation

Furthermore, the coverage was extended to legal categories 91 and 92 (co-owned Syndicates and associations). This change of field occurred on February 2019. All the series from 2003Q2 (number of occupied posts and number of vacancies) were corrected to take into account this new field.

  
6.3.1. Coverage error
Description of any difference between the reference population and the study population Description of classification errors Description of any difference between the reference dates and the reference quarter Any other relevant information
Establishments of enterprises with 250 or more employees are selected exhaustively. Establishments of enterprises with between 10 and 250 employees are selected randomly so as to minimise the accuracy error of the different estimators in the publication strata. A quarter of the sample is renewed each year. Sampling rate and number of establishments surveyed: see in Annex 'Quarterly sampling rate'. Not available Not available  


Annexes:
Number of sampled units and sampling rates - ACEMO survey
6.3.1.1. Over-coverage - rate

Optional
6.3.1.2. Common units - proportion

Optional
6.3.2. Measurement error

[see 6.3. non-sampling error]
6.3.3. Non response error

See 6.3.3.1
6.3.3.1. Unit non-response - rate
Unit response rate
Unit response rates for quarterly JVS survey can be found in the annex.


Annexes:
Response rates - ACEMO survey
6.3.3.2. Item non-response - rate

Optional
6.3.4. Processing error

[see 6.3. non-sampling error]
6.3.4.1. Imputation - rate
Item imputation rate and methods and, where possible, the effect of imputation on the estimates for the variables transmitted
In the quarterly Acemo survey, for the variable 'number of job vacancies', non-response is dealt with on two levels. First, checks on the consistency of the questionnaires mean that units which have not responded can be contacted again. Second, observations made by the respondents are re-weighted in each stratum, taking into account the non-response rates (recalculation of the individual weighting for each question) so as to ensure that all the indicators examined remain representative.
6.3.5. Model assumption error
If modelling is used, include a description of the models used. Particular emphasis should be given to models for imputation or grossing-up to correct for unit non-response.
Not relevant
6.4. Seasonal adjustment
Brief description of seasonal adjustment procedures, in particular with regard to the European Statistical System guidelines on seasonal adjustment which have been endorsed and supported by the SPC.

All the details are provided in the enclosed SA quality report.

X13 method is used to realize the seasonal adjustment.

Each quarter, a quarterly campaign of partial updating of the models is carried out using the refresh option "Partial concurrent adjustment / last outliers" in Jdemetra+.
Every year, an annual full model update campaign will be carried out using the refresh option "Concurrent" in Jdemetra+.
These revisions are in compliance with Eurostat's seasonal adjustment recommandations.


Annexes:
SA Quality report France - 2022
6.5. Data revision - policy

See 6.6
6.6. Data revision - practice
Provide a revision history, including the revisions in the published number of job vacancies and a summary of the reasons for the revisions.
The method of estimating job vacancies was refined at the same time as the wording of the question on job vacancies was amended. To ensure continuity in the data series, all the data necessary for estimating job vacancies (level and rate) were retrapolated to the 2nd quarter of 2003. There was nonetheless a break in the series in the 4th quarter of 2010 on account of the changes made to the Acemo survey questionnaire. Dares transmitted the retrapolated data to Eurostat in mid-February 2011, together with the estimates for the 4th quarter of 2010, 45 days after the end of that quarter.

ACEMO team improved the methodology used to correct nonresponse (specifically regarding the question concerning job vacancies). This change has however created a level shift in raw job vacancies data. For information, this level shift was taken into account in the seasonal adjustement for the impacted series.

From 2018Q4, Acemo survey's field was extended. The survey coverage was extended to divisions 87 and 88 of NACE, which corresponds to :

- 87 : social and medicosocial accommodation

- 88 : social work activities without accommodation

Furthermore, the coverage was extended to legal categories 91 and 92 (co-owned Syndicates and associations). This change of field occurred on February 2019. All the series from 2003Q2 (number of occupied posts and number of vacancies) were corrected to take into account this new field.
6.6.1. Data revision - average size

Optional


7. Timeliness and punctuality Top
7.1. Timeliness

See 7.1.1
7.1.1. Time lag - first result
Information on the time span between the release of data at national level and the reference period of the data.
Provisional results sent to Eurostat 45 days after the end of the quarter surveyed. Final results sent to Eurostat 70 days after the end of the quarter surveyed.
7.1.2. Time lag - final result

Optional
7.2. Punctuality

See 7.2.1
7.2.1. Punctuality - delivery and publication
Deadlines for the respondents to reply, also covering recalls and follow-ups Period of the fieldwork Period of data processing Dates of publication of first results Remarks
Quarter ACEMO survey : (deadlines per quarter)
  Q1 2021 Q2 2021 Q3 2021 Q4 2021
Sampling 01.12.2022 01.12.2022 01.12.2022 01.12.2023
Start of data collection  31.03.2022 29.06.2022 28.09.2022 29.12.2022
First relaunch  22.04.2022 22.07.2022 21.10.2022 25.01.2023
Formal notice  13.05.2022 19.08.2022 16.11.2022 10.02.2023
Initial publication (provisional results)  13.05.2022 12.08.2022 10.11.2022 09.02.2023
Determination of non-response  02.06.2022  09.09.2022  13.12.2022  09.03.2023
Second publication (final results)  24.06.2022 23.09.2022 09.12.2022 24.03.2023
Return of information to enterprises Together with the survey questionnaire concerning the following quarter.
See information in the first column See information in the first column Forty-five days after the end of the quarter in the case of the quarterly estimates.

Ten months after the end of the year in the case of the annual estimates

 -


8. Coherence and comparability Top
8.1. Comparability - geographical
Information on differences between national and European concepts, and — to the extent possible — their effects on the estimation.
No difference
8.1.1. Asymmetry for mirror flow statistics - coefficient

Optional
8.2. Comparability - over time
Information on changes in definitions, coverage and methods in any two consecutive quarters, and their effects on the estimation. Remarks
No changes  
8.2.1. Length of comparable time series

Optional
8.3. Coherence - cross domain
Comparisons of data on the number of vacant jobs from other relevant sources when available, in total and broken down by NACE at section level when relevant, and reasons if the values differ considerably.
There are two ways of finding out about job vacancies in France. The first involves asking establishments directly about the number of job vacancies available on a particular date, in the manner defined by Eurostat. Dares produces such statistics on the basis of the Acemo survey.

The second way is based on identifying job offers placed with the Public Employment Service (Pôle emploi). Each month, the Public Employment Service collates job offers from enterprises and this produces four indicators:

  • the number of vacancies registered (or collected) in the course of the month, i.e. vacancies placed with the Public Employment Service by employers;
  • the number of vacancies filled, i.e. vacancies withdrawn in the course of the month on account of recruitment (whether through the Public Employment Service or not);
  • the number of vacancies cancelled, i.e. vacancies withdrawn by employers in the course of the month because the recruitment has been cancelled or postponed or the employer has recruited internally;
  • the stock of job vacancies at the end of the month, i.e. the vacancies still in the database at the end of the month.

Regarding the second approach, the Public Employment Service and Dares stress in their joint publications (and in those of the Public Employment Service alone) those indicators relating to number of vacancies (vacancies registered or collected, vacancies filled and, to a lesser extent, vacancies withdrawn). This is because the 'stock of job vacancies at the end of the month' indicator is somewhat unreliable because not all job vacancies pass through the Public Employment Service and others may have a very old starting date, leading to the assumption that there is no longer an active campaign under way to fill them. The two approaches to job vacancies are totally different (number of posts to be filled on a particular date provided by enterprises versus number of vacancies placed with the Public Employment Service in the course of a month) and thus cannot be directly compared.

From 2015Q4 onwards, ACEMO team improved the methodology used to correct nonresponse (specifically regarding the question concerning job vacancies). This change has however created a level shift in raw job vacancies data which impacts the Beveridge curve provided by Eurostat (change in the curve starting in 2015Q4 - cf curve enclosed). Great care must therefore be used in the analysis of the Beveridge curve's recent trends.


Annexes:
FR Beveridge curve 2021
8.4. Coherence - sub annual and annual statistics

Optional
8.5. Coherence - National Accounts

Optional
8.6. Coherence - internal

Optional


9. Accessibility and clarity Top
9.1. Dissemination format - News release

Optional
9.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Dissemination scheme, including to whom the results are sent Periodicity of national publication References for publications of core results, including those with commentary in the form of text, graphs, maps, etc. Information on what results, if any, are sent to reporting units included in the sample
Job vacancy files sent to Eurostat electronically through Edamis. a) provisional results of first quarter Q of year N (publication): T+45 days

b) Final results of first quarter Q of year N (publication): T+80 days

 National publication : http://travail-emploi.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/2015-059.pdf Quarterly Acemo survey:

Example for the publication of the results of the first quarter Q of year N:

Information returned to establishments: T+80 days
9.3. Dissemination format - online database

Optional
9.3.1. Data tables - consultations

Optional
9.4. Dissemination format - microdata access

Optional
9.5. Dissemination format - other

Optional
9.6. Documentation on methodology

Optional
9.7. Quality management - documentation
Description of and references for metadata provided References for core methodological documents relating to the statistics provided Description of main actions carried out by the national statistical services to inform users about the data Remarks
A report on the job vacancies measure is available on the internet: http://travail-emploi.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/Rapport_Emplois_Vacants_MAJ070910.pdf

A guide to respond to the survey has been created to enable establishments to complete the questionnaire correctly: http://dares.travail-emploi.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/aide_au_remplissage_en_ligne_de_l_enquete_trimestrielle_acemo.pdf

 Not available A report on the job vacancies measure is available on the internet:

http://travail-emploi.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/Rapport_Emplois_Vacants_MAJ070910.pdf

  
9.7.1. Metadata completeness - rate

Optional
9.7.2. Metadata - consultations

Optional


10. Cost and Burden Top

Optional


11. Confidentiality Top
11.1. Confidentiality - policy

Optional
11.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Disclosure rules: Brief description of when data have to be deleted for reasons of confidentiality
Not relevant


12. Comment Top
Special remarks

From 2018Q4, Acemo survey's field was extended. The survey coverage was extended to divisions 87 and 88 of NACE, which corresponds to :

- 87 : social and medicosocial accommodation

- 88 : social work activities without accommodation

Furthermore, the coverage was extended to legal categories 91 and 92 (co-owned Syndicates and associations). This change of field occurred on February 2019. All the series from 2003Q2 (number of occupied posts and number of vacancies) were corrected to take into account this new field.


Related metadata Top


Annexes Top