At the end of September 2025, Bulgaria’s registered unemployment rate stood at 5.06%, which was 0.13 percentage points lower than the same month in 2024, the Employment Agency (EA) reported on October 15.
Through the mediation of labour offices, 17,137 people found jobs – including 15,475 unemployed persons and 1,662 employed individuals, students and pensioners seeking new career opportunities. In addition, over 4,800 economically inactive individuals were encouraged to take their first steps towards employment, thanks to the proactive efforts of labour office teams, as well as Roma and youth mediators across the country.
A total of 2,943 people from vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities, inexperienced young people, those aged over 55, and the long-term unemployed, have entered jobs under subsidized employment schemes. Of these, 1,808 participants are involved in projects financed under the Human Resources Development Programme 2021–2027, co-funded by the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+).
Employers declared 9,514 job vacancies on the primary labour market. The largest shares were in education (29.0%) and manufacturing (21.7%), followed by wholesale and retail trade and vehicle repair (11.9%), public administration (8.9%), administrative and support service activities (5.5%), and accommodation and food service activities (5.1%).
Among the most sought-after occupations during the month were teachers; care and support staff; salespersons; waste collection workers; machine and equipment operators; workers in extractive and manufacturing industries, construction and transport; personal service staff; cleaners and helpers; workers in food, clothing and wood production; administrative and business clerks; drivers of motor vehicles and mobile equipment; metallurgists, machine builders and related tradespeople.