US Construction Job Openings Decline as Labor Market Churn Reaches Historic Low
Key Highlights
- Construction job openings decreased by 28,000 in February 2026, reaching a total of 202,000, the lowest since the survey began in 2000
- The industry experienced the slowest hiring rate on record, with contractors hesitant to expand their workforce amid economic and geopolitical uncertainties
- Despite optimism from contractors, recent data suggests that hiring activity is unlikely to rebound soon
WASHINGTON, DC — The the US Bureau of Labor Statistics has released data from its latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). The construction industry had 202,000 job openings on the last day of February, reflecting a continuing downward turn. Industry job openings decreased by 28,000 in February and are down by 53,000 from the same time last year.
“Construction hiring fell to the slowest rate on record in February,” said Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “At the same time, contractors remained reluctant to lay off workers while employees were even more reluctant to leave. The combination of historically slow hiring and exceedingly few separations made February 2026 the month with the least construction labor force churn since the BLS began this survey in December 2000.
“Of course, this data pertains to February, when the Strait of Hormuz was open and the price of oil was under $100 per barrel,” said Basu. “While contractors continue to express optimism regarding their staffing intentions, according to ABC’s Construction Confidence Index, recent data and developments suggest that hiring is unlikely to rebound in the near future.”
Visit abc.org/economics for the Construction Backlog Indicator and Construction Confidence Index, plus analysis of spending, employment, job openings and the Producer Price Index.