Got to final round, great feedback, then role got paused, how common is this?

Update from: https://www.reddit.com/r/torontoJobs/s/CPOhxo2NI2

I recently went through a full interview process for an entry-level role at a large company in an industry I really want to break into. The process included multiple rounds and an assignment, and I was eventually moved to the final round.

The final interview went really well, and I received very positive feedback from the team. It genuinely felt like I was a strong contender and close to getting an offer.

However, after the final stage, the recruiter reached out saying that the hiring team is now “reassessing their hiring plan” and exploring internal options, so the role is being paused for now. They emphasized that the feedback was strong and that they would reach out again if things reopen.

This has been pretty frustrating because I was essentially at the last step, and it felt like I was very close to converting the opportunity.

For those who’ve experienced something similar, how common is it for roles to get paused at this stage? Does this usually mean the role is gone for good, or do these processes actually reopen later?

Would really appreciate any insight, just trying to understand how to interpret this and move forward.