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Dive Brief:
- of April job offer data points to a steadily building construction labor market where employers are facing staffing hurdles and clinging to the workers they have amid a wide gap in demand.
- The industry had 259,000 job openings on the last day of April, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Tuesday, a 10.6 percent month-over-month jump and a 25 percent year-over-year increase. The mark was the highest in job posting data so far in 2026.
- Construction economists pointed to a low rate of layoffs amid a widening gap in open positions, indicating that employers in the industry remain reluctant to let go of staff, even in the face of a slower market.
Diving knowledge:
Overall, 3% of construction jobs went unfilled in April.
“This release of April data suggests that contractors are getting more scrambling to fill open positionsAnirban Basu, chief economist at Associated Builders and Contractors, said in a statement. “Fewer construction workers were laid off in April than in any month since the first half of 2022, and industry-wide job openings, while still relatively low by historical standards, have increased by more than 25% over the past year.”
Contractors laid off 128,000 workers in April, down 22,000 from March. The month also saw 47,000 fewer layoffs since April 2025,
“These dynamics probably stem from immigration policy and the reduction in the number of undocumented workersas well as the acute shortage of certain trades workers, including those involved data center constructionBasu said. “While contractors remain broadly optimistic about increasing their staffing levels over the next six months, according to the ABC’s Construction Confidence Index, labor availability is unlikely to improve in the near term.”
In fact, Macrina Wilkins, director of market information for the Associated General Contractors of America, told Construction Dive that the data indicates that companies are taking a measured approach to their staffing.
“Overall, the data points to a labor market that remains relatively stable,” Wilkins said. “Contractors appear keen to hire when they can find the right workers, but are proceeding cautiously amid continued uncertainty about rates, construction costs, interest rates and broader economic and geopolitical developments that could affect project demand.”
