US job openings jump to 7.52 million as layoffs fall, but hiring remains slow

The number of unfilled jobs across the United States rose unexpectedly at the end of the third quarter. This happened even as overall hiring remained fairly steady and employers continued to avoid major staff cuts. Data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in its Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey on 3 November 2026 showed that job vacancies increased by 333,000 to reach a seasonally adjusted 7.52 million on the last business day of September. The increase followed a revised total of 7.19 million job openings in August. Despite the rise in available jobs, hiring across private businesses and government employers outside the farm sector increased only slightly. Total hires went from 5.27 million in August to 5.40 million in September. This gap shows that many companies are continuing to advertise open positions while remaining careful about bringing in new employees.Public sector drives surge in vacant rolesThe increase in job openings was mainly driven by state and local government agencies. Vacancies in the public sector, excluding education, increased by 104,000 during the month, bringing the total to 519,000 open positions. Professional and business services also ...