Romania, last in the EU in terms of the job vacancy rate

Romania recorded the lowest job vacancy rate in the European Union in the second quarter of 2026, according to Eurostat data. The indicator fell to 0.5%, compared with an average of 2% in the EU and 2.1% in the euro area.

Nationwide, 26,500 positions were available, 1,800 fewer than in the previous quarter and 4,900 below the level recorded in the same period last year. The rate of 0.52% was 0.03 percentage points lower than in the first quarter of 2026 and 0.09 points below the level in the second quarter of 2025.

The most job opportunities were reported in the Netherlands, with a rate of 4.1%, Belgium – 3.3%, Malta – 3.1% and Austria – 2.9%. After Romania, the lowest figures were recorded in Poland and Bulgaria, at 0.8% each, as well as in Spain and Slovakia, at 0.9% each.

In Romania, the highest job vacancy rates were in energy, gas and utilities, financial intermediation and insurance, as well as transport and storage. The public sector accounted for over 19% of all available positions, including 2,700 in health and social work, 1,400 in public administration and 1,000 in education.