15.02.2021

More and more Bulgarians have been out of work for more than a year

In the fourth quarter of 2020 the number of unemployed persons was 173.1 thousand, of which 95.7 thousand (55.3%) were men and 77.4 thousand (44.7%) were women. This is shown by the latest NSI data.

The unemployment rate is 5.2%, respectively 5.4% for men and 5.1% for women. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2019, the unemployment rate increased by 1.1 percentage points, with the increase for men and women being 1.0 and 1.3 percentage points, respectively.

Of all unemployed persons 13.9% have higher education, 51.4% - with secondary education, and 34.7% - with primary or lower education. Unemployment rates by level of education are 2.3% for higher education, 4.8% for secondary education and 15.1% for primary and lower education, respectively.

Unemployment growth between the fourth quarter of 2019 and the fourth quarter of 2020 is largely due to the increased number of unemployed with a duration of unemployment of up to one year. During this period it increased by 23.1 thousand and reached 88.0 thousand. In the fourth quarter of 2020, the long-term unemployed (for one or more years) were 85.1 thousand, or 49.2% of all unemployed persons.

The long-term unemployment rate increased by 0.4 percentage points to 2.6%, with the increase being almost the same for men and women.

Of the total number of unemployed, 27.4 thousand, or 15.8%, are looking for their first job.

In the fourth quarter of 2020 the unemployment rate for the age group 15 - 29 years was 9.3%, as compared to the same quarter of 2019 it was higher by 2.6 percentage points. The unemployment rate for men (15 - 29 years of age) increased by 2.4 percentage points, and for women - by 3.0 percentage points, reaching 9.6 and 8.9%, respectively.

Economic inactivity

In the fourth quarter of 2020 the total number of economically inactive persons (persons outside the labor force) aged 15 and over was 2 613.0 thousand, of which 1 044.2 thousand (40.0%) were men and 1 568.8 thousand. %) - women. The economically inactive persons aged 15 - 64 are 1 202.8 thousand, or 27.3% of the population in the same age group.

The economic activity rate for the population aged 15-64 is 72.7%, as compared to the fourth quarter of 2019 it decreased by 0.3 percentage points.

In the fourth quarter of 2020 the total number of employed persons aged 15 and over was 3 126.9 thousand, of which 1 692.3 thousand men and 1 434.5 thousand women. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2019, the number of employees decreased by 3.0%. The relative share of employed persons in the population aged 15 and over is 52.9%, as for men this share is 59.8%, and for women - 46.6%.

In the fourth quarter of 2020, 1,959.2 thousand or 62.7% of the employed worked in the services sector, 963.6 thousand (30.8%) in industry and 204.0 thousand (6.5%) in rural, forestry and fishing economy. Compared to the same quarter of 2019, the number of employees decreased in all economic sectors, but the largest decrease was observed in the services sector - by 74.0 thousand, or by 3.6%.

Of all employees 3.8% (118.6 thousand) are employers, 6.8% (211.9 thousand) - self-employed (excluding employees), 88.9% (2 780.1 thousand) - employees, and 0.5% (16.2 thousand) - unpaid family workers. Of the total number of employees, 2,120.7 thousand (76.3%) work in the private sector and 659.4 thousand (23.7%) in the public sector.

In the fourth quarter of 2020, employment in the different age groups is as follows:

The employed persons aged 15 - 64 years are 3 029.7 thousand.

The employment rate for the population in the same age group was 68.8% (73.4% for men and 64.1% for women).

The employment rate for the population aged 15 - 29 years is 39.0% (43.8% for men and 34.0% for women).

The employment rate for the population aged 20-64 is 73.8%, respectively 78.9% for men and 68.6% for women. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2019, the employment rate (20-64 years of age) decreased by 1.1 percentage points, by 1.0 percentage points for men and by 1.2 percentage points for women.

The employed persons aged 55 - 64 years were 608.5 thousand, or 65.0% of the population in the same age group (71.6% of men and 58.9% of women).