The number of construction industry job openings declined by 3,000 in April on a monthly basis, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).

“Construction labor market churn remained unusually slow in April,” said Anirban Basu, chief economist at Associated Builders and Contractors, in a press release. “The rates of hires, layoffs and quits are all low by historical standards, and industrywide job openings have fallen 45% since reaching an all-time high in December 2023.”

The total number of openings reached 248,000—down 78,000, or 23.9% since April 2024. Hires have risen 6.1% in the same period, while layoffs have increased 15% and the number of those quitting is down 19.7%.

Despite the “stagnant” job situation and other economic challenges, said Basu, “approximately 57% of contractors intend to increase their staffing levels over the next six months,” according to ABC’s Construction Confidence Index.