One of the EU’s estimates for Romania is that the number of elderly people aged over 65 who will work will triple in the next 10 years. According to the latest data published by Statistics, everything seems to be confirmed.

INS published on Thursday unemployment data as defined by the International Labor Office, drawing attention to the fact that the unemployment rate among young people (15-24 years) is very high – 21.1%.

According to estimates, the number of unemployed (age 15-74) in December 2023 was 444,000, which is approximately 2,000 more than in the previous month.

HotNews took a closer look at which regions of the country have the highest youth unemployment rate. Official figures indicate the South Muntenia region, which consists of seven counties – Arges, Kalaras, Dambovitsa, Giurgiu, Jalomitsa, Prahova and Teleorman, and where unemployment is. for youth over 30%.

The central region, consisting of the following counties: Alba, Brasov, Covasna, Harghita, Mures and Sibiu, is not far behind in terms of youth unemployment.

If we look at the number of employed population by age group, we can see that the number of employed young people is decreasing, while the number of Romanians over 50 is slightly increasing. In addition, the over-50 unemployment rate is half the national average.

However, older people are five times more likely to be out of work after two years than people under 25, according to the National Institute for Statistics, which released unemployment figures on Thursday.

With the exception of the over-50s, across all age groups, most people wait about 6-11 months before getting a new job. In the case of those over 50, the duration of unemployment for the majority of those over 50 exceeds two years. There are also those who are found after a month of waiting, but such cases are few (4%). “Fat” (almost a third) have been waiting for a new employer for two years.

This transition from short-term unemployment to long-term unemployment is depressing for a person who has worked continuously for 30 years and suddenly finds himself being ignored. According to statistics, more than 100,000 Romanians are in this situation.

Some find themselves in a situation of early retirement in anticipation of something they did not want and could not afford, labor market experts say.

Marian Ionescu is one of these unemployed people who are over 50 years old. He worked as a driver, but the boss preferred to hire a guy who works for much less money. “If we were in America, I could sue him for age discrimination. My experience and driving skills are not comparable to those of children. Who understand that he has already had two minor accidents, that he drives like a madman. But we are in Romania, not in the Americans,” says Mr. Ionescu, who decided to become a taxi driver to earn a living.

On the other hand, employers say that those over 50 have trouble implementing digital solutions and that, in addition to high salaries, they will also have to invest in courses and training for them. “Or if I hire a young digital resident, I’ve decided my part of life,” says the HoReCa entrepreneur.

“As for why people over 50 have been hit so hard by the pandemic, we understand that it is more because they are less likely to return to work than because they have jobs that are particularly dangerous,” she added.

Health is also an issue: in June/July, the IFS found that workers aged 54 and over with a disability or health condition were 34 percentage points more likely to worry about workplace safety than those without.