The number of jobless Romanians to triple in 2009

The number of unemployed Romanians is expected to triple in 2009, due to the return of Romanians now working abroad, who face losing their jobs due to the recession announced in other countries of the European Union, and the contraction of the local job market.

According to initial estimates, some 700,000 workers are expected to return by the end of the first half of 2009, adding to the 360,000 declared unemployed in 2008. However, the jobless rate will rise due to employees who will be laid off on the local market, because the economic crisis is forcing companies to contract their activities.

The President of the Association of Immigrants from Eastern Countries (AIPE), Angela Placsintar, said that, in the past months, Romanians working in Spain have become very interested in vacancies and possibilities of returning to Romania. "The situation is confusing, and news from Romania is not optimistic. Romanians, especially those who worked illegally in Spain and do not benefit from social security, wish to return, but they are finding out that Romania is now also in crisis, and there are no more vacancies," Placsintar told Business Standard.

Business Standard