site.btaNSI: Bulgaria’s Unemployment Rate at 5.3% in 2021

Bulgaria’s National Statistical Institute published on Thursday the results of a Labour Force Survey.

According to the data, the unemployment rate in 2021 was 5.3% (5.5% for men and 5.0% for women). Compared with 2020, it decreased by 0.8 percentage points. 

The unemployment rate for the age group 15 - 29 years was 10.4%. The long-term unemployed represented 49.5% out of all unemployed persons. The long-term unemployment rate was 2.6% (2.7% for men and 2.4% for women).

There were 1,227.4 thousand economically inactive persons aged 15 - 64, of whom 527.0 thousand men and 700.4 thousand women. The inactivity rate (15 - 64 years) was 28.0% (23.8% for men and 32.3% for women).

The number of discouraged persons aged 15 - 64 was 57.2 thousand representing 4.7% of the economically inactive population in this age group.

The proportion of early leavers from education and training of population aged 18 - 24 was 12.2%, while 33.6% of the 25 - 34 age group have completed tertiary education. 

The proportion of young people aged 15 - 29 neither in employment nor in education and training (NEET) was 17.6%.

In 2021, the number of economically active population aged 15 - 64 was 3,155.3 thousand and represented 72.0% of population in the same age group. Compared with 2020, the activity rate decreased by 0.1 p.p. The total number of employed persons was 3,076.5 thousand, representing 52.3% of population aged 15 and over. Among all employed persons 1,648.7 thousand (53.6%) were men and 1,427.8 thousand (46.4%) were women

There were 2,986.7 thousand employed persons aged 15 - 64. The employment rate for the same age group was 68.1% (72.0% for men and 64.2% for women). Compared with 2020, it increased by 0.5 p.p.