Over 10,000 people find jobs with ANOFM support
More than 10,000 people have found jobs since the beginning of the year with support from the National Employment Agency (ANOFM). The figure continues a steady upward trend. The agency reported about 6,000 job placements in early April and around 9,000 by mid-May.
Of the 10,008 people placed in jobs, 40.2% were women, 19.3% were aged 55 or older, and 1.6% were people with disabilities.
Nearly 3,000 of those hired, or 29.7%, were officially registered as unemployed.
By sector, most placements were in collective, social, and personal services (37.8%), followed by agriculture (15.3%), trade (14.9%), industry (8.4%), public administration (5.4%), and construction (4.2%).
For 2026, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection aims to help 25,000 people find jobs, up from a target of 20,000 the previous year.
The paradox of a shrinking labor market
At first glance, data from the National Bureau of Statistics suggest a healthy labor market. The national unemployment rate stood at 3.8% in 2025 and fell to 2.9% in the fourth quarter, among the lowest in Europe.
However, the figure is misleading.
During the same period, the employment rate dropped to 40.8%, while the inactivity rate rose to 57.9%. The number of people outside the labor force reached 1.143 million. In other words, nearly six out of ten working age people are officially outside the labor market.
Against this backdrop, the National Employment Agency's ability to place people in jobs and, more importantly, keep them in formal employment has become a key test of the economic resilience Moldova must demonstrate as it moves forward with its EU accession process.
