US job openings hit five-year low even as hiring ticks up

Job openings in the US hit a five-year low in December 2025, down to 6 million, sparking concerns of recession as the job market weakens.    

Job openings decreased by 386,000 to 6.542 million by the last day of December, the lowest level since September 2020, according to the Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics. Openings dropped even though hirings increased by 172,000 positions in the month.

For every unemployed worker, the ratio of available vacancies is down to 0.87 which is far below the pre-pandemic

high of 1.24.

Data for November was revised down to show 6.928 million job openings instead of the previously reported 7.146 million.

Meanwhile, tech and corporate giants continue to lay off. Amazon, The Washington Post, Pinterest, have all announced major job cuts in January 2026.