Labor force: number of job seekers at historic low

By: Trademagazin Date: 2026. 03. 05. 10:22

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According to data from the National Employment Service, the number of registered job seekers in February 2026 was 225,994, which is a decrease of more than 6,000 compared to the same period of the previous year and about 430,000 compared to 2010 – Sándor Czomba, State Secretary for Employment Policy at the Ministry of National Economy (NGM), drew attention in his statement on Wednesday.

The extremely low number of registered job seekers also highlights that the current development of the number of employed people is being influenced by the demographic trend, i.e. the decline in the working-age population decisive impact. In international comparison, domestic employment remains high, and the unemployment rate is low – the Secretary of State stated.

He recalled: the government supports job seekers with numerous employment-promoting programs to find employment as quickly as possible. Within the framework of the Youth Guarantee Plus program, which is implemented with EU co-financing, the government has so far contributed to the entry of 28 thousand young people into the labor market. The program will be expanded further from February, the upper ceiling of wage subsidies has increased from 300 thousand forints gross to 350 thousand forints, and we will also help young people stay in the labor market with strengthened mentoring – wrote Sándor Czomba.

From February, domestically funded mobility subsidies can also be used again, for 9 months instead of the previous 6 months. Within the framework of the “Travel Grant 2026” program, an amount equivalent to 5 percent of the minimum wage (16,140 HUF) can be provided for every full 10 kilometers (up to 60 kilometers) between the place of residence and the place of work. The upper limit of the distance has been increased to 100 kilometers, and for distances between 60 and 100 kilometers, a monthly travel subsidy of 80,700 forints can be claimed, according to the announcement.

Within the framework of the “Housing Subsidy 2026” program, the subsidy can be provided for the rental fee (or the worker’s accommodation fee) for the distance between the place of residence and the place of work, over 30 kilometers (in the case of a long travel time between 30 and 60 kilometers), and the maximum amount can be 225,960 forints per month – he explained.

The successful public sector, which has so far employed more than 20,000 public sector workers, has been transferred to the private sector The “From Public Employment to the Private Sector” program is also being relaunched to encourage people with the necessary motivation, qualifications, and ability to work to find employment in the private sector instead of participating in public employment.

In the program, if a public employee finds employment before the expiration of their public employment legal relationship, they will receive a placement benefit of 45,600 forints, which they will receive for as long as the public employment legal relationship would have existed in the absence of the establishment of the employment relationship. Public workers who participate in seasonal agricultural work are also entitled to a daily placement benefit of 2,000 forints – the State Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development stated in his statement.