[Research Report] Effective Job Opening Ratio for March 2026 is 1.18x, Unemployment Rate is 2.7%
Tsunagu Workstyle Research Institute released its March 2026 labor market data report. The effective job opening ratio was 1.18x (-0.01pt MoM), and the unemployment rate was 2.7% (+0.1pt MoM). New job openings decreased by 2.6% YoY, marking 11 consecutive months of decline.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 23, 2026 at 00:54
- 🔍 Collected: May 22, 2026 at 16:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 22, 2026 at 16:35 (3 min after Collected)
## Labor Market Report for March 2026
The Tsunagu Workstyle Research Institute, affiliated with Tsunagu Group Holdings, which provides RPO and recruitment consulting, has released its labor market data report for March 2026.
### Topics
1. The effective job opening ratio in March was 1.18x, a decrease of 0.01 points from the previous month.
2. The unemployment rate was 2.7%, rising from the previous month for the first time in two months.
3. New job openings decreased by 2.6% compared to the same month last year, marking 11 consecutive months of decline.
### 1: Effective Job Opening Ratio for March is 1.18x, Down 0.01 Points MoM
The effective job opening ratio (seasonally adjusted) for March 2026 was 1.18x, down 0.01 points from the previous month and 0.07 points lower than the same month last year.
The ratio for part-time jobs (seasonally adjusted) was 1.10x, a decrease of 0.07 points from the same month last year. The effective job opening ratio for regular employees (seasonally adjusted) was 0.99x, down 0.05 points from the same month last year, remaining below 1x for the sixth consecutive month.
### 2: Unemployment Rate at 2.7%, Rising MoM for the First Time in Two Months
The unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted) for March 2026 was 2.7%, an increase of 0.1 points from the previous month and 0.2 points from the same month last year. By age group, only the 15-24 age group saw a decrease compared to the same month last year (-0.1 points). The total number of unemployed people was 1.94 million, an increase of 140,000 from the same month last year.
### 3: New Job Openings Decreased by 2.6% YoY, 11th Consecutive Month of Decline
New job openings in March 2026 decreased by 2.6% compared to the same month last year, marking the 11th consecutive month of year-on-year decline. By industry, growth was seen in services (not elsewhere classified) (+3.1%), manufacturing (+2.0%), and construction (+0.1%), while declines were observed in information/communications (-15.8%), wholesale and retail trade (-6.5%), and accommodations and food services (-6.4%).
(Source)
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, "Employment Referral Statistics (March 2026)"
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, "Labour Force Survey (March 2026)"
The Tsunagu Workstyle Research Institute, affiliated with Tsunagu Group Holdings, which provides RPO and recruitment consulting, has released its labor market data report for March 2026.
### Topics
1. The effective job opening ratio in March was 1.18x, a decrease of 0.01 points from the previous month.
2. The unemployment rate was 2.7%, rising from the previous month for the first time in two months.
3. New job openings decreased by 2.6% compared to the same month last year, marking 11 consecutive months of decline.
### 1: Effective Job Opening Ratio for March is 1.18x, Down 0.01 Points MoM
The effective job opening ratio (seasonally adjusted) for March 2026 was 1.18x, down 0.01 points from the previous month and 0.07 points lower than the same month last year.
The ratio for part-time jobs (seasonally adjusted) was 1.10x, a decrease of 0.07 points from the same month last year. The effective job opening ratio for regular employees (seasonally adjusted) was 0.99x, down 0.05 points from the same month last year, remaining below 1x for the sixth consecutive month.
### 2: Unemployment Rate at 2.7%, Rising MoM for the First Time in Two Months
The unemployment rate (seasonally adjusted) for March 2026 was 2.7%, an increase of 0.1 points from the previous month and 0.2 points from the same month last year. By age group, only the 15-24 age group saw a decrease compared to the same month last year (-0.1 points). The total number of unemployed people was 1.94 million, an increase of 140,000 from the same month last year.
### 3: New Job Openings Decreased by 2.6% YoY, 11th Consecutive Month of Decline
New job openings in March 2026 decreased by 2.6% compared to the same month last year, marking the 11th consecutive month of year-on-year decline. By industry, growth was seen in services (not elsewhere classified) (+3.1%), manufacturing (+2.0%), and construction (+0.1%), while declines were observed in information/communications (-15.8%), wholesale and retail trade (-6.5%), and accommodations and food services (-6.4%).
(Source)
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, "Employment Referral Statistics (March 2026)"
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, "Labour Force Survey (March 2026)"
FAQ
2026年3月度の有効求人倍率はいくらですか？
2026年3月度の有効求人倍率（季節調整値）は1.18倍です。
2026年3月の完全失業率はどうなりましたか？
2026年3月の完全失業率（季節調整値）は2.7％で、前月から0.1ポイント上昇しました。
新規求人数の推移について教えてください。
2026年3月の新規求人数は前年同月比で2.6％減少し、11か月連続で前年同月を下回っています。
正社員の有効求人倍率はどのようになっていますか？
2026年3月の正社員有効求人倍率（季節調整値）は0.99倍で、6か月連続で1倍を下回りました。
ツナグ働き方研究所とはどのような組織ですか？
株式会社ツナググループ・ホールディングスを母体とし、2015年に設立された多様な働き方を調査研究する機関です。