According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), the construction sector experienced an increase in the number of vacant positions in September.
The current level of vacant positions is lower than it was three years ago as a result of a decrease in construction activity, particularly in the housing sector.
However, the demand for construction laborers is being generated by the strength of the construction industry in subsectors such as data center construction.
Additionally, the availability of workers is being impacted by the escalating number of immigration enforcement actions, which is also contributing to the upward pressure on the number of open positions.
In September, there was an increase in the number of opening jobs for the entire economy, which reached 7.5 million.
The September reading was higher than the same month last year, with a total of 7.17 million.
As economic growth remains robust, the September data indicated an increase in job openings in numerous sectors of the U.S. economy.
In September, the number of open construction sector jobs increased from 262,000 in August to 298,000. Compared to the previous year’s total of 206,000, this figure is higher.
The chart below illustrates a downward trend in the construction job openings rate from 2023 to 2025, which was precipitated by the Federal Reserve’s tightening of monetary policy.
Subsequently, there has been a recent upward trend in the number of open positions in the construction sector, albeit with substantial month-to-month fluctuations.
Although employment in the home building sector has decreased in the past year, other sectors of the construction industry have experienced growth, such as data center construction.
The industry also encounters obstacles in the form of no-shows at work sites that are associated with immigration enforcement.
From 2.4% a year ago, the construction job openings rate has increased to 3.4% in September.
In September, the construction hiring rate increased to 4.3%, which is higher than the estimated rate of 4.1% from a year ago.
In September, the construction industry experienced a 1.6% layoff rate.
In September, the quits rate experienced a substantial increase, rising to 2.4%.
In comparison to 127,000 quits a year ago, there were a total of 198,000 in that month.
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