site.bta2016 Unemployment Rate Drops 1.5 Percentage Points Y/Y

2016 Unemployment Rate Drops 1.5 Percentage Points Y/Y

Sofia, March 15 (BTA) - In 2016, the unemployment rate in Bulgaria was 7.6 per cent, decreasing by 1.5 percentage points compared with 2015. The unemployment rate for men dropped by 1.7 percentage points and for women - by 1.4 percentage points reaching 8.1 per cent and 1.7 per cent, respectively.

In 2016, the country had 3,199,600 economically active people (age 15-64), making up 68.7 per cent of the population in that age group. Compared with 2015, the economic activity rate in that group dropped by 0.6 percentage points.

There were 3,016,800 employed people, accounting for 49.3 per cent of the population aged 15 and over. In the 15-64 years age group the number of employed people was 2,954,300, putting the employment rate in that group at 63.4 per cent, respectively, 66.7 per cent for men and 60 per cent for women.

In the 20-64 years age group the employment rate was 67.7 per cent oe 0.6 percentage points higher compared to 2015. Within this age group the employment rate increased by 0.9 percentage points for men and by 0.2 percentage points for women reaching 71.3 per cent and 64 per cent, respectively.

In the 55-64 group the unemployment rate was 54.5 marking an increase by 1.5 percentage points both for men and women year-on-year.

In 2016 there were 247,200 unemployed people - 141,700 men and 105,600 women - registered at job centres, down by 19 per cent compared with 2015.

In the period under review there were 247,200 unemployed people in Bulgaria, including 141,700 men and 105,600 women. The number of unemployed dropped by 19 per cent.

In 2016 the unemployment rate among people aged between 15 and 24 stood at 17.2 per cent, and among those aged between 15 and 29 it was 12.2 per cent. Compared with 2015 the levels dropped by 4.4 and 2.2 percentage points, respectively.

There were 146,100 long-term unemployed people (people who had been jobless for at least a year), accounting for 59.1 per cent of all unemployed. The long-term unemployment rate was 4.5 per cent. For men, it was 4.8 per cent, and for women, 4.1 per cent.

As at December 31, 2016 the country had 1,459,200 economically inactive people aged between 15 and 64, including 641,500 men and 817,700 women. The economic inactivity rate in this age group was 31.3 per cent (27.3 per cent among men and 35.4 per cent among women).

There were 163,400 discouraged workers (persons aged between 15 and 64 who were not actively seeking employment or who did not find employment after long-term unemployment).

The relative share of university graduates, aged 30-34, was 33.8 per cent.

The registered unemployed in February 2017 were 269,642, down by 107 compared to January and by 59,968 people as of January 2016.

Unemployment in February 2017 equalled the one of January and stood at 8.2 per cent. It dropped by 1.8 percentage points compared to February last year.

A total of 16,791 unemployed, including 15,531 on the primary labour market, were employed in February 2017. A total of 1,260 were included in subsidized employment.

There are 15,060 vacant jobs registered at the labour exchanges, including 11,852 from the private sector, or 78.7 per cent of all vacant jobs registered through the month.

The greatest demand was registered in the processing industry (4,233); trade (2,466); administrative and auxiliary activities (755); transport, warehousing and posts (512); hotelier and restaurateur sector (2,119); agriculture (1,091); administrative and auxiliary activities (725); transport, storage and posts (687); education (462), etc.