NFP countdown: next nonfarm payrolls release

What is the NFP report?

NFP stands for nonfarm payrolls, the headline number of the Employment Situation report published monthly by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). It is the estimated change in the number of paid jobs in the US economy over the previous month, excluding farm workers, private household employees and a few other groups.

The report combines two surveys. The establishment survey of businesses and government agencies produces payroll employment, average hourly earnings and average weekly hours. The household survey produces the unemployment rate, the labor force participation rate and other measures. Because the two surveys use different samples and methods, they can occasionally point in different directions in a single month.

Each report also revises payroll numbers for the two previous months as more survey responses come in. Once a year, usually with the January report published in February, payroll levels are benchmarked to more complete records from unemployment insurance tax filings, which can change the picture of the previous year.

Covers selected US releases only. A day without events here may still have other economic data.

When is the jobs report released?

The BLS releases the Employment Situation report at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Most months it comes out on the first Friday, but the date depends on when the survey reference week falls, so some reports are released on the second Friday or on another weekday, for example around holidays. The BLS publishes the full schedule a year or more in advance; the table below lists every date.

In UTC the release time is 12:30 while the US is on daylight saving time (from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November) and 13:30 the rest of the year. In weeks when Europe and the US change their clocks on different dates, the local time in Europe shifts for a week or two; the countdown and tables on this page take that into account automatically.

Releases can be postponed. During the US government shutdown in October and November 2025, the BLS delayed several reports and published them on a revised schedule. TickClock updates the dates when the BLS announces changes, and shows the date it last checked the official calendar.

Why do markets watch payrolls?

The labor market is one of the two goals of the Federal Reserve, alongside stable prices. Strong or weak job growth, a change in the unemployment rate or a jump in wage growth can change expectations for interest rates, so the report is followed closely by currency, bond, gold and stock index traders around the world.

Around 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time on release day, US dollar pairs, gold and US index futures often see sharp moves, wider spreads and fast changes in liquidity. Many brokers raise margin requirements or warn about slippage around the release. TickClock does not forecast the numbers or the market reaction; this page only tells you exactly when the report is scheduled.

Release time around the world

US daylight saving time runs from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November. In cities that change their clocks on other dates, the time differs for a week or two in spring and autumn.

NFP release dates 2026–2027

All dates and times as published by the BLS and the Federal Reserve. Times in UTC and Eastern Time.

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