Table 3. Number of private sector establishments by direction of employment change, annual March to March Construction (In thousands) Establishments gaining jobs Establishments losing jobs Year ended Net change(1) Total Expanding Opening Total Contracting Closing establishments establishments establishments establishments March 1994 18 256 158 98 198 118 80 March 1995 21 264 161 103 208 126 82 March 1996 11 255 158 97 223 137 86 March 1997 21 272 169 103 217 135 82 March 1998 9 264 168 96 231 144 87 March 1999 24 287 185 102 215 137 78 March 2000 17 286 187 99 228 146 82 March 2001 6 272 173 99 261 168 93 March 2002 4 273 174 99 266 171 95 March 2003 6 272 171 101 269 174 95 March 2004 18 303 194 109 248 157 91 March 2005 19 307 193 114 262 167 95 March 2006 30 329 205 124 262 168 94 March 2007 2 298 187 111 305 196 109 March 2008 -22 266 166 100 333 211 122 March 2009 -74 197 118 79 386 233 153 March 2010 -49 200 119 81 322 192 130 March 2011 -13 232 143 89 251 149 102 March 2012 1 247 155 92 227 136 91 March 2013 1 245 158 87 221 135 86 March 2014 7 254 169 85 209 131 78 March 2015 11 259 173 86 209 134 75 March 2016 14 268 181 87 209 136 73 March 2017 8 262 177 85 225 148 77 March 2018 12 270 180 90 231 153 78 March 2019 11 272 180 92 240 159 81 March 2020 -1 270 181 89 252 162 90 March 2021 18 275 176 99 258 177 81 March 2022 20 295 193 102 249 167 82 March 2023 5 285 190 95 263 173 90 (1) Net change is the difference between the number of opening establishments and the number of closing establishments.