Economic agents of Moldova to invest in business' development, opening jobs in 2023

Chisinau, 1 March /MOLDPRES/ - Forty percent of the micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises from Moldova want to invest in equipment, technologies and spaces, although they were seriously hit by the chain crises in 2022. Another 10 per cent of the economic agents will invest in the creation of new jobs. This is the data of the labour market’s forecast for 2023, from the viewpoint of the employers and the barometer of employment opportunities, worked out by the National Employment Agency (ANOFM).      

The information was unveiled by the Labour Market Development Working Group of the Economic Council under the Prime Minister of Moldova, led by President of Moldova’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) Sergiu Harea.  

Thus, according to the opinion poll, 54 per cent of respondents said that, despite the crises from 2022, the demand on market of assets, products and services of their company did not undergo changes – either positive or negative. And in 2023, 65 per cent of the economic agents say that the situation remains unchanged in terms of demand on market for their products and services (up by 11 per cent against 2022).  

According to the findings of the opinion poll, the number of employees on the staff at the moment of questioning was 595,600 people, down by about 37,000 people against the same period of the year before, which shows a continuous decrease of the labour force. The same tendency is noticed in 2023 too. 

Most employees are in the wholesale and retail trade – 17.4 per cent, public administration and defence – 16.9 per cent; processing industry – 15 per cent, followed by health and social assistance – 10 per cent. At the same time, the study shows that a serious crisis of labour force is recorded on the labour market of Moldova and therefore, about 10,000 vacant jobs were not able to be occupied in 2022.     

Employers also speak about a deficit of employees on more dimensions: 37 per cent show about the lack of qualified staff with experience, 30 per cent declare a low number of applicants, as well as impossibility to provide a proper salary. Most employers – 48 per cent – informed that more time had been needed than usual, in order to recruit staff or that they had not been able to recruit it.

The labour market’s forecast for 2023 was elaborated based on the findings of the opinion poll on a sample of 2,859 employers from diverse branches of the national economy, of whom 74 per cent from the private sector, 19 per cent from the public one; the biggest share belongs to the micro and small employers.   

Symbol photo