In 2026, Romanian employers will need to carefully balance ambitious recruitment plans with tightening pay strategies and persistent skills shortages. While most organisations plan to recruit, limited salary growth and rising candidate expectations will test employers’ ability to attract and retain scarce talent, shaping who gains an edge in the market ahead.
Recruiting Trends 2025 | Hays Romania
Recruiting trendsThe Romanian labour market at a glance
Download the guideRising uncertainty puts the brakes on salary growth
Based on our research, pay transparency is still in its early stages in most workplaces: 61% of employees say no progress has been made yet, although more companies are beginning to publish salaries or salary ranges - a clear sign that employers have started preparing for the 2026 pay transparency regulations.
Both employees and employers remain pessimistic about the economic outlook: the share of pessimistic respondents has risen above 70%, and only one in ten feels optimistic about the labour market prospects over the next 2–5 years.
In 2025, salary growth slowed noticeably: the most common increase was 6–10%, while many received only 2.5–5% and pay rises above 10% dropped sharply - reflecting employers’ cautious, cost‑conscious approach.
Discover current salary trends in Romania
Download the Hays Romania Salary Guide 2026 to discover key labour market trends by industry and salary levels for more than 260 qualified jobs for 2026, based on the expertise and knowledge of our expert consultants. The salary data was supplemented with the results of a nationwide survey, which includes in-depth responses from over 450 employees and employers.
