Romania’s labor market shows significant regional disparities in employment levels and economic structure, while access to jobs varies strongly by age. Young people and older workers face greater challenges in entering or remaining in employment, particularly in less developed regions, according to the study “Opportunities for Foreign Investors in Romania” published by the Deloitte Foundation and the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE).
“Bucharest–Ilfov recorded the highest employment rate in the country in 2023, at 80.7%, 12 percentage points above the national average of 68.7%. This may indicate that Bucharest, as an administrative and economic hub, attracts labor from neighboring counties and other regions,” the study notes. The North-West region also performed well, with an employment rate of 71.4%.
Read also: Major shift in the office market: banking overtakes IT in 2025
By contrast, South-East (62.2%) and South-West Oltenia (63.4%) posted the lowest employment rates. “These gaps may reflect limited economic diversification, insufficient investment, or labor migration to other regions or abroad,” the authors said.
Age-related disparities persist
Employment rates peak among people aged 30–49, while young adults aged 20–24 and seniors aged 55–64 face lower participation. “Bucharest–Ilfov shows the highest employment rates across most age groups, peaking at 92.4% for those aged 35–39. However, employment remains relatively low among young people aged 20–24 (49.2%) and seniors aged 55–64 (55.2%),” the study adds.
The researchers conclude that these challenges are more pronounced in less developed regions such as South-East, South-West Oltenia, and Central Romania.
Photo: freepik.com
UK
IT
ES
DE
FR
RO
PT
HU
