02.03.2023

UNEMPLOYMENT IN BULGARIA IS DECREASING

In the fourth quarter of 2022, the number of unemployed in Bulgaria is 128,300 people, of which 70,800 (55.2 percent) are men and 57,500 (44.8 percent) are women. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, the number of unemployed decreased by 18,400, or by 12.5 percent, the National Statistics Institute reported.

For the same period, the unemployment rate decreased by 0.6 percentage points and reached 3.9 percent. The unemployment rate decreased by 0.9 percentage points for men and by 0.5 percentage points for women, reaching 4 and 3.7 percent respectively in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Of all the unemployed, 14.7 percent have a higher education, 52.5 percent have a secondary education, and 32.8 percent have a primary or lower education. The unemployment rates by educational levels are respectively 1.8 percent for higher education, 3.6 percent for secondary education and 11 percent for primary and lower education.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, the long-term unemployed (or unemployed for a year or more) were 67,600, or 52.7 percent of all unemployed. The long-term unemployment rate decreased by 0.5 percentage points compared to the fourth quarter of 2021 and reached 2 percent, being higher for men (2.1 percent) than for women (1.9 percent).

Of the total number of unemployed, 17.9 thousand or 14 percent are looking for their first job.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, the unemployment rate for the 15-29 age group was 7.5 percent (7.9 percent for men and 7 percent for women), compared to the same quarter in 2021. is lower by 2.2 percentage points. The unemployment rate (15-29 years of age) decreased by 1.2 percentage points for men and by 3.6 percentage points for women.

The coefficient of economic activity for the population aged 15-64 is 74.4 percent, and compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, it increases by 2.6 percentage points.

The employment rate for the population aged 15-64 years increased by 3 percentage points compared to the same quarter of 2021 and reached 71.5 percent.

People aged 15-64 who are discouraged from finding work are 50,900, or 4.6 percent of the economically inactive in the same age group.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, total employment was 3.197 million. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, the number of employed increased by 3.8 percent. In the fourth quarter of 2022, the majority of the employed work in the service sector - 2.037 million, or 63.7 percent, in industry 967,200 (30.3 percent) work, and 192,600 (6 percent) in agriculture, forestry and fisheries.

Of all the employed, 3.7 percent (119,400) are employers, 7.3 percent (233,100) are self-employed without employees, 88.4 percent (2.826 million) are employed, and 0.6 percent (18 200) - unpaid family workers. Of the total number of employed, 2.208 million (78.1 percent) work in the private sector, and 617,900 (21.9 percent) in the public sector. With temporary work (for a certain period of time) are 101,100, or 3.6 percent of the employed.

The employment rate for the population aged 15-29 is 39.9 per cent, and for the population aged 20-64 it is 76.9 per cent. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, the employment rate (20-64 years of age) increased by 3.3 percentage points. Employed persons aged 55-64 are 628,700, or 69.4 percent of the population in the same age group. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, the employment rate for the 55-64 age group increased by 3.9 percentage points.

In the fourth quarter of 2022, the total number of economically inactive people (outside the labor force) aged 15 and over was 2.499 million, of which 1.014 million. (40.6 percent) are men and 1.485 million (59.4 percent) are women. The economically inactive aged 15-64 are 1.110 million (481,500 men and 629,000 women) and represent 25.6 percent of the population in the same age group. Of the economically inactive people aged 15-64, 39 percent are inactive due to participation in education or training.