2025 shows Under half of working-age Moldovans are employed, 2025 NBS data
In 2025, less than half of Moldovans of working age were employed, with the employment rate at 40.2%. Meanwhile, over 1.1 million people were outside of the labor market, as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Despite this, the unemployment rate remained low at 3.8%.
In total, approximately 774,000 people were employed, with a labor force of around 805,000 individuals. Only 41.8% of those aged 15 and over were economically active.
There are noticeable differences among various categories: men are more prevalent in the labor market than women, and employment levels are significantly higher in urban areas compared to rural regions.
The majority of employees work in the service sector (63.7%), while agriculture employs 14% of the total workforce, and industry accounts for 12.3%.
Most of the employed individuals are salaried workers (85.7%), but undeclared work remains an issue, with 5.2% of employees working without a contract. Additionally, 12.7% of the workforce is engaged in the informal sector.
Over 1.1 million people are not employed, with the majority being pensioners, students, or individuals caring for family members. Some of these individuals state they are not seeking employment because they are either currently working abroad or plan to do so.
Among young people aged 15 to 29, 23.2% are neither employed nor participating in education or training programs.
