The number of job vacancies in Romania in the first quarter of this year stood at 28,300, down by 4,300 compared with the same period in 2025, according to data published on Wednesday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
During the analysed period, the highest job vacancy rates were recorded in electricity and heat production and supply, gas, hot water and air conditioning supply (1.48%), public administration (1.02%), entertainment, cultural, sports and recreational activities (0.96%), as well as financial intermediation and insurance activities (0.95%). In addition, around one fifth of the total number of vacancies was concentrated in manufacturing (5,700 vacancies), where the vacancy rate stood at 0.55%.
At the same time, the public sector accounted for almost 23% of the total number of vacancies. Thus, public administration and health and social assistance each recorded 2,700 vacancies, while the education sector had 1,000 vacant posts.
At the opposite end, the lowest job vacancy rates were registered in other service activities (0.17%) and in the extractive industry (0.24%). In addition, the fewest vacancies were recorded in real estate activities, the extractive industry and other service activities, with 100 vacancies in each sector.
According to the same source, in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the previous quarter, the most significant declines in the job vacancy rate were recorded in professional, scientific and technical activities and insurance activities (-0.41 percentage points), as well as in electricity and heat production and supply, gas, hot water and air conditioning supply (-0.38 percentage points).
As regards the number of vacancies, the most notable declines were recorded in professional, scientific and technical activities and insurance activities (-700 vacancies) and public administration (-500), followed by wholesale and retail trade and transport and storage (-400 each).
By contrast, the most significant increases in the job vacancy rate were recorded in hotels and restaurants (+0.28 percentage points) and financial intermediation and insurance activities (+0.19 percentage points), while the number of vacancies saw the largest increase in manufacturing (+1,200 posts).
INS data also show that, compared with the same quarter of the previous year, the most significant decreases in the job vacancy rate were recorded in professional, scientific and technical activities and insurance activities (-0.48 percentage points), public administration (-0.36 percentage points), and financial intermediation and insurance activities (-0.25 percentage points).
At the same time, in terms of the number of vacancies, more substantial declines were observed in wholesale and retail trade (-1,500) and public administration (-1,100).
The most notable increases in both the vacancy rate and the number of vacancies were reported in hotels and restaurants (+0.22 percentage points and +600 vacancies respectively), as well as in health and social assistance (+0.14 percentage points and +500 posts respectively).
By major occupational groups, in the first three months of 2026 the highest job vacancy rates were recorded among specialists in various fields of activity - major group 2 (0.65%) - and plant and machine operators and assemblers - major group 8 (0.58%).
The highest number of vacancies was also recorded among specialists in various fields of activity - major group 2 (7,800 vacancies) - and service workers - major group 5 (4,500 vacancies).
On the other hand, the lowest values for both indicators were found among skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers - major group 6 (0.16% and fewer than 100 vacancies respectively) - and legislators, senior officials and managers - major group 1 (0.31% and 1,200 vacancies respectively).
Official statistics also highlight that, in the comparison between the first quarter of 2026 and the fourth quarter of 2025, the most significant decreases in both the vacancy rate and the number of vacancies were recorded among clerical support workers - major group 4 (-0.12 percentage points and -400 vacancies respectively) - as well as specialists in various fields of activity - major group 2 (-0.09 percentage points and -1,200 posts respectively).
Conversely, the most significant increases in both the vacancy rate and the number of vacancies were recorded among plant and machine operators and assemblers - major group 8 (+0.12 percentage points and +600 vacancies respectively), followed by elementary occupations - major group 9 (+0.08 percentage points and +500 vacancies respectively).
Compared with the first quarter of 2025, the most significant declines in the vacancy rate in the first three months of this year were recorded among clerical support workers - major group 4 (-0.26 percentage points), elementary occupations - major group 9 (-0.12 percentage points), and specialists in various fields of activity - major group 2 (-0.11 percentage points).
