US Payrolls Miss Badly in September: Only 29,000 Jobs Added
The US economy added just 29,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in September 2026, far below economist forecasts of 84,000, with the unemployment rate rising to 4.2%. Earlier months were revised downward by a combined 60,000 jobs.
Labor Market Falters as Job Growth Slows Sharply
The US economy added just 29,000 nonfarm payroll jobs in September, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday, well below the 84,000 economists had forecasted. The jobless rate rose to 4.2%, with 7.1 million people counted as unemployed, suggesting a cooling labor market that could influence Federal Reserve interest-rate decisions.
July payrolls were revised downward to show a loss of 10,000 jobs (from a previously reported gain of 21,000), and August was revised down to 133,000 (from 162,000), with the two revisions reducing the previously reported employment count by 60,000 jobs. Job gains were concentrated in health care, construction and manufacturing, while financial activities shed 7,000 jobs, continuing a broader decline that has seen the industry lose 129,000 positions since May 2025.
Wage growth slipped to its lowest annual level since May 2021. For expats and foreign workers on US payrolls, particularly in tech and finance roles, this slowdown signals tightening hiring, especially in white-collar sectors. Those on H-1B or other employment-based visas should monitor their employer's stability closely during this labor-market softening.
Sources
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