The low unemployment (3.58% in April 2018) and the low number of newly unemployed are, apparently, good news for the labor market, but the pressure created by the shortage of candidates for companies is very high.
“They are looking for people even in depressed areas, companies go everywhere to look for them, the polarization of the past no longer exists. We used to have regions, villages very far away from medium-sized or large cities rendering commute very difficult,” said Sorina Donisa, CEO of recruitment and temporary personnel leasing agency APT Resources & Services, part of the Work Service Group.
“It seems to me companies have reached almost every corner now and if someone is willing to work, they will agree to a longer commute or relocate if offered the option and if they have no dependents. There are still areas with unemployed people, but those are unemployed because they don’t want to work.”
The number of people becoming unemployed in 2017 stood at 550,000, slightly lower than in 2016 (2,500 fewer people that is) and the lowest level in 11 years. In 2007, an economic boom year when the country saw its biggest migration wave (over 500,000 Romanians left the country during Romania’s first year as an EU member), the number of those losing their jobs stood at more than 1 million.
“I expect the labor market to be as tough in the coming period as it has been up to now, the fight over candidates will continue and I don’t expect demand from employers to slow down. I think salaries will increase faster due to this labor shortage. However, I don’t believe the low unemployment has any influence on the people leaving the country. The fact that there are jobs available in Romania does not mean people are not leaving anymore, so there will still be a significant number those who will emigrate.”
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)