While France is experiencing a further decline in the number of job offers, Nice is seeing a notable increase. The Nice metropolitan area recorded a 10% rise in job offers in the third quarter of 2025.
In the third quarter of 2025, the French job market remains under pressure. According to HelloWork, the overall volume of offers has decreased by 8% compared to the same period in 2024. The number of postings remains high, but the decline continues for the third consecutive quarter. Companies continue to hire, while adapting their recruitment strategies to an uncertain economic environment.
In this landscape, Nice stands out as an exception. The Nice metropolitan area recorded a 10% increase in job offers during this period. It becomes the only major city in France to show growth, while other areas are significantly declining. Nantes, Toulouse, Bordeaux, and Lille see their postings decrease by 18 to 20%. Paris limits the damage with a 7% drop, but is unable to recover to its pre-summer level.
The positive momentum in the Nice job market is explained by the dynamism of several promising sectors, notably personal services, health, and social services. These fields alone account for more than a third of regional offers. In an area marked by an aging population and a strong demand for support, these jobs remain essential. The needs remain constant regardless of national economic fluctuations.
Flexibility, health, and construction: local drivers
At the national level, companies now favor short-term contracts. Permanent contracts fall by 12%, while temporary contracts increase by 18%. This choice reflects a desire for greater flexibility, in a context where long-term visibility remains limited. Temporary work, slightly down by 10%, is showing signs of stabilization after several quarters of decline. Apprenticeships, however, suffer from the partial withdrawal of public subsidies and fall by 19%.
In Nice, this logic of flexibility is also present but does not hinder hiring. Local companies continue to offer contracts, notably in personal services, catering, and health. Reception structures, healthcare facilities, and home support organizations account for a large portion of recruitment. Positions such as nursing assistants, nurses, or support workers remain among the most in demand.
The construction sector also retains an important role, particularly in temporary work. Despite an overall decline of 8% at the national level, it remains a driver for temporary jobs in Nice. Renovation projects, urban development, and maintenance support activity. The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region also resists better than average, with a reduction limited to 1% across all offers.
Other sectors, however, are struggling to restart. The industry remains fragile, particularly in production and maintenance. Logistics and transportation are also declining, affected by the drop in consumption and the reduction in volumes in large retail. Only the naval industry maintains a positive momentum, driven by projects in the West. In PACA, however, the sector shows a 15% decrease in offers.
In an economic context marked by caution, Nice seems to benefit from a diversified economic fabric. Local small and medium-sized enterprises continue their recruitment, often in operational roles. Jobs in accounting, management, and catering complete the picture, showing stable demand for positions essential to everyday economic life.
An uncertain climate but real needs
The general trend remains one of a cautious market. Since the beginning of the year, the number of offers has decreased quarter after quarter, but the decline is easing. After an 11% drop in the second quarter, the contraction in the third quarter is more contained. Companies are adapting to an unstable political and economic climate, marked by recent resignations of the Prime Minister and ongoing social tensions. However, no form of wait-and-see attitude seems to prevail.
Signals from September suggest a lull. The decline in offers is limited to 6% compared to last year. This slight improvement could indicate market stabilization by the end of the year. In this context, the growth observed in Nice appears as an encouraging indicator. It shows that local dynamism remains possible, even when the national trend is on the decline.
