BERLIN — Romania's labor shortage was highlighted in a 32-country study by human resources firm Manpower, which found 73 percent of companies in Romania were unable to find skilled personnel for open positions.

The areas hardest hit are Bucharest and Western Romania, which includes Timisoara and Arad, said Eliza Nechifor, spokeswoman for Manpower Romania in Bucharest. She estimates unemployment is about 1 percent in these regions.

Cluj Napoca, a university city that has become a software development hub and is home to a new Nokia factory, has about 3 percent unemployment, she said.

Manpower believes the shortage results from a decade-long migration of skilled personnel to higher paying jobs in Europe.

In addition, wages in the country have soared. In 2007, the average wage across all industries rose 25 percent, Nechifor said.

The study mentioned a spike in the maximum wage for engineers. Top engineers receive more than 1,000 euros ($1550) monthly. In certain tech fields salaries can reach 2,500 euros ($3875) monthly.

On the upside, the rising wages have curtailed migration.

"We can see that people are now staying in Romania and looking for work here," Nechifor said.