Romania has fewer and fewer job openings. Nearly 5,000 jobs have disappeared in one year

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The number of job openings reached 26,500 in the second quarter of 2026, down by 1,800 from the previous quarter. The job vacancy rate also fell by 0.03 percentage points quarter-over-quarter, to 0.52%.

Compared to the second quarter of 2025, the number of job openings fell by 4,900, and the job vacancy rate decreased by 0.09 percentage points.

The data thus indicate a decline in labor demand compared to last year, even though certain sectors continue to need employees.

The highest job vacancy rates were recorded in the production and supply of electricity, heat, gas, hot water, and air conditioning, where the rate reached 1.41%.

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Next were financial intermediation and insurance, with a rate of 1.03%; transportation and warehousing, at 0.94%; and entertainment, cultural, sports, and recreational activities, at 0.90%.

In contrast, the lowest rates were in the mining and quarrying industry, at 0.16%, and in other service activities, at 0.23%.

In terms of the actual number of available jobs, the manufacturing industry ranks first.

The sector had 5,600 job openings, accounting for more than one-fifth of the total. The job vacancy rate in manufacturing was 0.54%.

The public sector, in turn, accounted for over 19% of all job vacancies. Most vacancies in the public sector were in health care and social assistance—2,700—followed by public administration—1,400—and education—1,000.

One of the most significant declines compared to the previous quarter was recorded in public administration. The vacancy rate fell by 0.49 percentage points, and the number of job openings decreased by 1,300.
Compared to the second quarter of 2025, the decline is even more pronounced: public administration has 1,800 fewer job vacancies, and the rate fell by 0.65 percentage points.

A significant decline compared to the previous quarter was also recorded in hotels and restaurants, where the vacancy rate fell by 0.21 percentage points, and the number of available positions decreased by 500.

In contrast, the transportation and warehousing sector saw a 0.12 percentage point increase in the job vacancy rate and 300 additional job openings.

By occupation, the highest job vacancy rate was recorded among specialists in various fields of activity, at 0.59%.

Next were skilled and similar workers and elementary occupations, each at 0.55%.

Specialists also had the highest number of job vacancies: 7,100.

Next were service workers, with 4,100 vacancies, and elementary occupations, with 3,700.

Compared to the second quarter of 2025, the National Institute of Statistics (INS) reports that both indicators—the vacancy rate and the number of job vacancies—decreased across all major occupational groups.

The most significant declines in the vacancy rate were recorded among administrative staff, down 0.26 percentage points, and specialists, down 0.15 percentage points.

In terms of the actual number of job vacancies, the largest decreases were also recorded among specialists, with 1,800 positions, and administrative staff, with 900 positions.

Overall, NIS data show a contraction in the job vacancy market in the second quarter, with the number of available positions nearly 5,000 lower than a year ago.