Romania's youth unemployment stays near 29% in June 2026

The National Institute of Statistics (INS) reported that Romania's overall unemployment rate fell to 6.3% in June 2026, a 0.1‑point decrease from May. The estimated number of unemployed persons aged 15‑74 was 511.6 thousand, down from 522.1 thousand a month earlier but higher than the 504.5 thousand recorded in June 2025.

Unemployment among young people aged 15‑24 remained at a very high 28.8%, meaning almost three in ten youths were jobless. This level was unchanged from the January‑March 2026 period and higher than the 24.6% recorded in June 2025. The adult unemployment rate (25‑74) stood at 4.8%, with a slight gender split (4.9% for men, 4.8% for women). INS highlighted the persistence of elevated youth unemployment despite the modest overall decline.

The data places Romania above the Eurostat average unemployment rate of 5.9% for the EU, underscoring the ongoing challenge for policymakers to address labour market entry for young people.