National Statistics: 28% of the working-age people in Bulgaria are outside the labour force, unemployment rate is 4.9%

The unemployment rate in the first quarter of 2022 was 4.9%, the National Statistical Institute said on May 19. The level is 1.4% lower compared to the first quarter of 2021.

The economic activity rate for the population aged 15-64 is 72%, by 0.6% higher compared to Q1 2021.

Nearly 28% of the people in this age group are economically inactive with just over a third not entering the labour market because they are still studying. Discouraged people aged 15-64 account for around 55,300, or 4.5% of economically inactive people in the same age group.

The employment rate for the population aged 15-64 increased by 1.5% compared to the same quarter in 2021 and reached 68.4%.

Of all unemployed persons, 10.6% have a university degree, 52.1% have a secondary education, and 37.3% have a primary education or less. Unemployment rates by education level are 1.6% for higher education, 4.6% for secondary education and 16.4% for primary or lower education, respectively.

In the first quarter of 2022, the share of persons with less than one year of unemployment and that of the long-term unemployed (unemployed for one year or longer) is almost the same - 49.7% and 50.3%, respectively.

Of the total number of unemployed persons, 19.2 thousand, or 12.1%, are looking for a first job.

The employment rate for the population aged 15-29 years was 36.3%.

The employment rate for the population aged 20-64 years was 73.7%.

The employed population aged 55 - 64 is 66% of the population in the same age group.