Moldova Job Market Paradox: Shrinking Force, Lower Unemployment
The Republic of Moldova's labour force is shrinking. According to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics (BNS), the labour force has decreased by nearly 2% compared to the first quarter of 2023. The unemployment rate has also fallen compared to the same period last year.
Data from the BNS indicates that the labour force in the first quarter of this year is down almost 2% compared to the same period in 2023.
The source reports that the national unemployment rate reached 4.4%, a decrease of 1.1 percentage points from the same period in 2023.
According to data, the unemployment rate was 4.5% for men and 4.4% for women. The BNS estimates that the number of unemployed individuals is 39,700, which is nearly 11,000 fewer than in the first quarter of 2023.
As of April 1, 2024, the National Employment Agency reported that there were 6,700 officially registered unemployed persons.
Women were disproportionately affected by unemployment, constituting 51.5% of the total number of unemployed individuals. Additionally, 52.4% of unemployed people reside in rural areas.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
