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Labour · Europe & Central Asia · High income

Bulgaria: the labour market

Labour force is 3.1m (2025), 107th of 187 in the world and 27th of 49 in Europe & Central Asia. Participation rate is 56.1% (2025), 134th of 187 in the world and 37th of 49 in Europe & Central Asia. Women's participation is 50.4% (2025), 118th of 187 in the world and 35th of 49 in Europe & Central Asia.

Labour force3.1m2025 · world 107/187 · region 27/49Participation rate56.1%2025 · world 134/187 · region 37/49Women's participation50.4%2025 · world 118/187 · region 35/49Employment rate54.1%2025 · world 120/187 · region 32/49
Labour force
Bulgaria
3.0m3.2m3.4m3.6m1995200020052010201520202025Bulgaria3.1m
Participation rate
BulgariaEurope & Central AsiaHigh incomeWorld
45%50%55%60%65%1995200020052010201520202025Bulgaria56.1%Europe & Central AsiaHigh incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Bulgaria in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Europe & Central Asia; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total3.1m2025107/18727/493.4m3.4m3.1m−5.2%since 2015429m734m3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+56.1%2025134/18737/4950.0%53.5%55.9%+1.9 ppsince 201558.2%61.0%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+50.4%2025118/18735/4944.3%47.8%49.5%+1.7 ppsince 201551.1%54.3%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)54.1%2025120/18732/4941.9%48.0%53.1%+4.9 ppsince 201555.1%58.3%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)3.5%2025129/18742/4916.2%10.3%5.0%−5.6 ppsince 20155.4%4.4%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)3.3%2025149/18744/4915.8%9.6%4.7%−5.1 ppsince 20155.7%4.6%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)10.2%2025114/18737/4933.2%21.9%14.1%−11.5 ppsince 201514.0%11.5%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %11.5%2025128/17018/4629.7%200121.1%14.7%−6.9 ppsince 201511.4%10.6%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment88.2%202526/18712/4983.1%87.2%89.3%+0.5 ppsince 201583.3%88.9%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)6.9%2025168/18741/4911.2%7.9%6.5%−0.4 ppsince 201512.9%8.0%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment4.7%2025134/18722/4913.2%6.7%6.6%−2.1 ppsince 20156.7%2.9%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment27.9%202526/18711/4932.8%33.4%30.9%−2.4 ppsince 201523.7%22.2%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment67.4%202571/18728/4954.0%59.9%62.5%+4.5 ppsince 201569.7%74.9%50.6%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

No rated indicator got worse over the decade.

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Bulgaria and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Bulgaria. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorBulgariaTürkiyeRomaniaGreeceSerbiaNorth Macedonia
Labour force3.1m202536.9m20258.2m20254.7m20253.3m2025789,3692025
Participation rate56.1%202554.4%202551.3%202552.0%202559.1%202551.9%2025
Women's participation50.4%202537.1%202541.8%202544.7%202552.6%202542.7%2025
Employment rate54.1%202549.7%202548.3%202547.5%202554.9%202545.6%2025
Unemployment3.5%20258.5%20256.0%20258.5%20257.1%202512.3%2025
Female unemployment3.3%202511.6%20255.6%202511.3%20257.5%202511.1%2025
Youth unemployment10.2%202516.0%202524.5%202521.4%202520.9%202528.8%2025
Youth NEET rate11.5%202523.3%202516.5%202510.4%202512.7%202519.5%2025
Wage workers88.2%202571.5%202585.5%202569.5%202573.0%202583.4%2025
Türkiye: labourRomania: labourGreece: labourSerbia: labourNorth Macedonia: labour
Labour in Europe & Central Asiaall 58 economies rankedLabour: high-income countries86 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesBulgaria: all key statisticscountry profile