The number of people employed in the private sector rose by 50,600 in March, up 2.1% over the same month a year earlier, according to a Census & Statistics survey. The total number of vacancies in the sector was 49,330, up 8%.

The import and export trade engaged 520,800 people, followed by the retail sector (229,100), business services (224,600) and restaurants (201,200).

Increases in employment were recorded in hotels and boarding houses (7.2%), financing and insurance (6.3%), medical, health and related services (5.9%), business services (5.5%) and restaurants (4%). 

But employment fell at construction sites (-8.3%), manufacturing (-1.7%) and wholesale trade (-1.7%). 

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Of the 49,330 private-sector vacancies, 9,310 were from the import and export trade, 5,870 from the business-services sector, 5,080 from the retail trade, 5,050 from financing and insurance, and 3,700 from real estate.

Vacancy increases were mainly from the recreational and other personal-services sector (25%), education services and research institutes (37%), manufacturing (23%) and the business services (8%). Vacancies declined in the import and export trade (-2%) and the sanitary and similar services sector (-14%).