The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Opening and Labor Turnover Survey shows the construction industry registered 292,000 job openings in December 2025, which is up by 8,000 for the month and up by 87,000 from December 2024, according to Associated Builders and Contractors. The survey defines a job opening as any unfilled position for which an employer is actively recruiting.
Construction workers were laid off at a faster rate than they quit; the layoff/discharge rate was 2.1%, and the quit rate was 1.8% in December 2025.
“This release paints a slightly more upbeat picture of the construction industry’s labor force dynamics,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “The hiring rate rebounded from the historical lows seen in October and November, and industrywide job openings rose to the highest level since July.
“Despite this improvement, demand for construction workers remains subdued, as has been the case for several quarters,” Basu continued. “Fewer construction workers were hired in 2024 and 2025 than in any two-year period since 2015-2016. This recent weakness has not dampened contractor confidence, and ABC members on net expect to increase their staffing levels over the next six months, according to ABC’s Construction Confidence Index.”
