The labor force of the Republic of Moldova, which is the employed population plus the persons out of work, in 2020 represented 867,300 people, a decrease of 5.7% (919,300) on 2019, shows the Labor Force Survey that is quoted by IPN.

The men represented a larger part of the labor force than the women, while the number of economically active persons from rural areas was higher than that of those from urban areas. The population aged 15 and over represented 40.3% of the labor force, a 42.3% decline on a year before.

The employed population was 834,200 people, by 4.4% lower than in 2019 (872,400).  The agricultural sector employed 175,900 persons or 21.1% of the employed. As many as 658,300 persons or 14.6% of the working people were involved in non-agricultural activates, 11.7% in the processing industry, while 7.2% in the building sector.

29.6% of the working population was employed in the municipality of Chisinau. 16.7% of the persons employed in the economy worked in the informal sector. 6.7% of the salaried employees got pays “in envelope”, primarily in such sectors as agriculture, building, trade and industry.

The unemployed, determined according to the definition of the International Labor Office, constituted 33,100, by 46,900 fewer than in 2019. The unemployed men represented 59.5% of the persons out of work, while the persons from rural areas – 53.2%.

The persons working abroad or who intended to go abroad to work and those who went abroad to look for a job prevailed among the men (19.8% and, respectively, 11.8% among men, as opposed to 5.7% and, respective, 3.4% among women).

In 2020, the NEET (not in Education, Employment, or Training) people represented 17.6% of the young people aged between 15 and 24, 26.0% of those aged between 15 and 29 and, respectively, 31.2% of those aged between 15 and 34.