The average net salary gain registered in January was 1,355 lei, a 9% drop compared to December last year when employees received occasional benefits or higher production rates, Romania's National Statistics Institute reads. Compared to January last year, the average net salary grew by 12.9%.

The biggest net average salaries were found in the airline transports industry (3,272 lei) while the lowest in hotels and restaurants (757 lei). The average net salary decreased by 25% in industries such as chemical manufacturing, tobacco, mining and water transports.

On the other hand, the highest increases of salaries were registered in education (4.7%), health and social care (2.1%) and insurance, pension funds (4.6%) and air transports (1.3%).