And because more and more people were needed, there were thousands of young people who got hired immediately after finishing high school, as well as seniors who, even at the age of 70, continue to work.

Eva came from a town in the Apuseni Mountains to Alba Iulia, and at the beginning of last year, she got a job. She says that's the only way she can be independent and support herself.

Eva, barista: "I am 19 years old and I got a job last February. I worked in a factory for 7 months, two weeks at a gas station, and now I work as a barista. This was my choice; I like to be independent, I don't like to ask anyone for money".

Last year, 34,000 girls and boys aged 19 got hired. The most new contracts - 63,000 - were signed by those aged 24. Over 50,000 were concluded by those of similar ages. However, even seniors did not stay put. 4,000 Romanians aged 70 had a new job in 2023.

At the end of 2023, the total number of employees reached 5.7 million, both in the public and private sectors, with 6.7 million employment contracts, as some have multiple jobs. According to the Ministry of Labor data, last year brought a double record - both in the number of contracts and the number of employees.

Most hirings were made in the following sectors: commerce and repairs - over 400,000 new contracts, construction - 380,000, manufacturing industry, and services. However, in these sectors, there are also the most employees with the lowest salaries.

Adrian Codirlașu, CFA vice president: "Last year we had a 17% increase in net salaries. Over 30% of employment contracts are on the minimum wage".

The labor market in Bucharest is the most dynamic, according to statistics. Most new employment contracts were signed in Bucharest, followed by Ilfov, Cluj and Constanța counties.

Bucharest also leads in the number of employees, with a total of over 1.4 million on official records. Cluj is in second place, with 304,000, followed by Timiș and Ilfov, with 271,000 and 265,000, respectively.