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What Is Vacancy Rate?

Vacancy rate is the share of positions currently open — open positions divided by total positions.

An educational definition from the HR glossary. Explore related terms below, or jump into the resource center to go deeper.

Definition

Vacancy rate is the share of positions currently open — open positions divided by total positions.

Why it matters

A rising rate signals capacity eroding faster than hiring can replace it.

Examples

Illustrative example. [9] open of [150] total positions gives a vacancy rate of 6%.

For the practical detail behind this term, follow the related metric, template and resources below.

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For informational purposes only. This is an educational, plain-language definition — not legal, tax, financial or compliance advice and not an official definition. Terms and obligations vary by organisation and jurisdiction. Numeric examples are simple, placeholder-based illustrations, not data. Confirm specifics with qualified professionals.
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Glossary

Time to Fill

Time to fill is the number of days between a role opening and a candidate accepting an offer.

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Headcount

Headcount is the number of people employed by an organisation, team or department at a point in time.

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Workforce Capacity

Workforce capacity is the amount of work your people can realistically do in a period, compared against the work required.

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Measure it

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Recruitment metric

Vacancy Rate

Vacancy rate measures the share of positions that are currently open.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is Vacancy Rate?

Vacancy rate is the share of positions currently open — open positions divided by total positions.

Why does Vacancy Rate matter?

A rising rate signals capacity eroding faster than hiring can replace it.

How is Vacancy Rate measured?

It connects to the HR metric linked on this page, where you can find the formula and how to read it. This glossary entry is an educational definition, not a data source.