Table 3. Number of private sector establishments by direction of employment change, annual March to March Education and health services (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 12 240 169 71 190 131 59 March 1995 18 253 177 76 191 133 58 March 1996 13 255 176 79 207 141 66 March 1997 11 268 184 84 218 145 73 March 1998 25 280 184 96 224 153 71 March 1999 31 297 190 107 229 153 76 March 2000 25 304 195 109 241 157 84 March 2001 25 314 201 113 244 156 88 March 2002 35 329 206 123 248 160 88 March 2003 43 339 203 136 263 170 93 March 2004 37 339 203 136 277 178 99 March 2005 25 342 208 134 291 182 109 March 2006 43 364 215 149 291 185 106 March 2007 27 367 223 144 308 191 117 March 2008 32 382 229 153 316 195 121 March 2009 51 391 222 169 324 206 118 March 2010 22 378 222 156 342 208 134 March 2011 14 387 231 156 350 208 142 March 2012 71 435 243 192 331 210 121 March 2013 47 411 253 158 329 218 111 March 2014 3 410 268 142 366 227 139 March 2015 22 429 269 160 371 233 138 March 2016 42 461 280 181 371 232 139 March 2017 25 479 295 184 401 242 159 March 2018 27 475 285 190 417 254 163 March 2019 50 497 291 206 421 265 156 March 2020 62 528 292 236 447 273 174 March 2021 24 466 256 210 526 340 186 March 2022 89 580 327 253 428 264 164 March 2023 3 583 342 241 493 255 238 (1) Net change is the difference between the number of opening establishments and the number of closing establishments.