September 2026: the active job openings-to-applicants ratio was 1.19, and the new openings ratio 2.19For every 100 people looking for work, there were 119 job openings
On October 30, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare released Employment Referrals for General Workers for September 2026 (Reiwa 8). The ratio of active job openings to active job applicants (seasonally adjusted) was 1.19, up 0.01 point from the previous month, and the ratio of new job openings to new applicants (seasonally adjusted) was 2.19, up 0.13 point. For regular (permanent) positions the ratio was 1.01. These figures serve as basic reference data for assessing the hiring environment.
Key points
- The active job openings-to-applicants ratio (seasonally adjusted) was 1.19, up 0.01 point from the previous month
- The new job openings-to-applicants ratio (seasonally adjusted) was 2.19, up 0.13 point from the previous month
- The ratio for regular (permanent) positions was 1.01
- Active job openings (seasonally adjusted) were unchanged from the previous month at 0.0%, while active job applicants (seasonally adjusted) fell 1.4%
- New job openings (original figures) were down 0.4% from the same month a year earlier
What to do in practice
- If you plan to hire, check whether the terms on your job posting match the current level of the openings-to-applicants ratio
- Given that active job applicants declined from the previous month, allow extra time between posting and hiring
Every month the government compares the number of job openings filed with the public employment offices against the number of people looking for work. In September 2026, there were 119 openings for every 100 job seekers. This is expressed as an openings-to-applicants ratio of 1.19. When the figure is above 1, there are more companies looking for people than people looking for work.
- Job openings
- 119
- divided by people looking for work
- 100
- Active job openings-to-applicants ratio
- 1.19 times
Points
- In September 2026 the active openings-to-applicants ratio was 1.19, slightly higher than the previous month
- Looking only at openings newly filed that month, the ratio was 2.19
- For regular, long-term positions the ratio was 1.01, meaning the numbers were almost equal
What the words mean
- Active job openings-to-applicants ratio
- The number of job openings divided by the number of people looking for work. Above 1 means there are more openings than job seekers
- Hello Work
- The government office that connects people looking for work with companies looking for staff (Public Employment Security Office)
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW): MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (September 2026 / Reiwa 8)
Economic news presents published statistics and outlooks. It is not investment solicitation or trading advice. Figures are as of publication and may be revised.
This article summarizes and explains materials published by government agencies and is not advice on any individual case. Rules can change, so for actual procedures and decisions always check the latest original materials and consult professionals such as tax accountants or labor and social security attorneys. English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese versions are translations prepared from the Japanese articles for convenience. If anything differs, the Japanese text and the original source take precedence.