RO expert: Wages will rise this year driven by scarce workforce

The wages in Romania, particularly in industry, will rise this year as the workforce migrates again once the relaxation is gaining momentum in Europe - and the rise will not be driven, like in the years before, by the higher minimum statutory wages.

"It is the first year when the salary increases are not related to the increase of the minimum wage because it has not changed too much, which is good," explained Oana Tufăroiu, managing director at the recruitment and hiring company temporarily Humangest, quoted by Ziarul Financiar.

Last April, the salaries of employees in fields such as automobile manufacturing, furniture, hotels and restaurants dropped by between 20% and 30% compared to the same period in 2019, after many companies stopped operating in lockdown. But by April 2021, salaries in most of the sectors recovered already.

"Salaries will continue to rise. There is a broad pressure for wage increases in the industry; the labor shortage is forcing employers to review their processes on the wage side as well," Tufăroiu explained.

She said that any EU country opening its borders is seen on the Romanian labour market.

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