The import and export trade engaged 495,000 people, followed by the retail trade with 236, 800, the professional and business services - excluding cleaning and similar services - with  233,800 persons, and food and beverage services with 208,800.

Employment increased in some industries compared with a year earlier, including in cleaning and similar services (7.5% or 4,200), education (5.6% or 8,600), human-health services (3.9% or 3,400) and residential care and social work services (1.7% or 900).

Some industries shed jobs, including manufacturing (-5% or 6,600), import and export trade (-4.3% or 22,200) and accommodation services (-4.1% or 1, 300).

Among the 38,780 private-sector vacancies, 6,530 were from food and beverage services, 4,220 from the professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services), 4,220 from the retail trade, 3,820 from the financing and insurance and 3,460 from the import and export trade.

Vacancies fell in nearly all industries in September over a year earlier. Import and export trade saw a fall of 2,690 vacancies, or 44%. The arts, entertainment, recreation and other services sector lost 1,510 vacancies, or 32%; professional and business services (excluding cleaning and similar services) lost 1,500, or 26%; retail trade, 1, 240 losses or 23%; and information and communications, 800 losses or 37%.

The food and beverage services sector saw 1,700 more vacancies, though, up 35%.

Private-sector vacancies were seen mainly in the categories of service workers and shop sales workers (12,530), associate professionals (10,320) and elementary occupations (6,020).

Online reports 

Comparing September with June 2009, the seasonally adjusted total employment increased 0.8% and total vacancies climbed 14.6%. 

Detailed breakdowns of the above statistics are published in the September 2009 issue of Quarterly Report of Employment & Vacancies Statistics and Quarterly Report of Employment & Vacancies at Construction Sites. View them online here.