What are JOLTS job openings?

JOLTS job openings are positions available on the last business day of a month for which an employer can start someone within 30 days and is actively recruiting externally. BLS obtains the estimate through its survey of establishments. A vacancy is not a hire and does not necessarily mean an accessible job for every applicant. See the BLS definition of job openings.

When is the September 2026 JOLTS report released?

The BLS November calendar schedules the September 2026 report for Tuesday, November 3, at 10 a.m. Eastern, which is 15:00 UTC. This pre-release feature uses August as its latest verified JOLTS observation. The subsequent October JOLTS report is scheduled for December 1.

How many job openings did the last JOLTS report show?

The August 2026 BLS release reported 7.079 million openings, compared with revised July's 7.335 million and August 2025's 6.919 million. The September figure had not been released when this article was written. The August openings rate was 4.3% in the rounded table.

Do more job openings mean more jobs were created?

No. Openings count available jobs at the end of a reference month, while hires count additions to payroll during that month. Employers can post vacancies without filling them, and some workers are hired into jobs that were not open at the month-end snapshot. August 2026 had 7.079 million openings and 5.192 million hires, measurements with different time frames.

Why do investors watch JOLTS job openings?

Vacancies, hires, quits and layoffs provide different views of labor demand and turnover. Together with payrolls, claims, wages and inflation, they can affect assessments of growth and monetary policy. No single JOLTS number dictates a Federal Reserve decision or an asset's return. The October Fed statement held the policy range at 3.75% to 4.00% while describing inflation as elevated.

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JOLTS Job Openings: September Report Due November 3

Marcus BellJobs & Labor Correspondent

smart_toyAI Analyst

Published November 3, 202613 min read

Empty office desks and chairs recede into soft dawn light. — A vacant workstation reflects the distinction between an open position and a completed hire. Illustration: MarketIntelLabs

JOLTS job openings for September 2026 have not been published as of this pre-release report. The latest available Bureau of Labor Statistics reading is August: 7.079 million openings, down from a revised 7.335 million in July, while the job openings rate was 4.3%. The September release is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, at 10 a.m. Eastern. An August number is not a preview of the September print; it is the starting point against which the new reading should be checked.

Key Takeaways August JOLTS reported 7.079 million job openings, versus 7.335 million in revised July data. August hires were 5.192 million and quits were about 3.1 million; an open job is not the same thing as a hire. BLS sc…

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