site.btaMay Unemployment Drops by 6,778

The National Employment Agency (NEA) reported on Tuesday a level of registered unemployment of 5.4%, with the unemployment rate down 0.24 percentage points compared to April.

The total number of unemployed individuals dropped to 154,271, a reduction of 6,778. In May, 17,387 unemployed people found employment, which is an increase of 1,151 from the previous month. Additionally, labour offices helped 360 retirees, students, and employed individuals to find a new job, NEA added.

18,376 new unemployment claims have been filed in May, marking a 17.1% drop from April levels. Additionally, 3,416 employed individuals, students, and retirees registered in labour offices, marking an increase of 2,166 compared to April. Efforts by Roma and youth mediators, along with labour intermediaries, successfully integrated more than 4,000 inactive individuals into the labour market.

The number of job vacancies reported to labour offices in the primary market has decreased, with figures dropping from 15,636 to 11,472 in May. The sectors with the highest vacancies include manufacturing at 24.9%, trade at 16.7%, and hospitality at 11.6%. Public administration reported 11.2% of vacancies, while construction and administrative support activities recorded 5.5% and 4.8% respectively.

In May, 4,398 individuals from at-risk groups secured employment via subsidised positions, with 56 finding jobs through state-funded employment programmes and 4,342 through the Human Resources Development Programme 2021 – 2027, supported by the ESF+. Additionally, 4,897 vouchers for digital training were distributed to employed and unemployed individuals as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan's "Component 2: Training for DI-GI skills and competencies".

NEA reported that the most sought-after jobs in May included jobs in sales, personal services, mining, manufacturing, construction, transportation, waste management, personal care, stationary machinery operation, vehicle driving, and skilled production in food, apparel, and wood products. Additionally, demand was high for janitors, business, and administrative professionals.

The National Social Security Institute reported earlier this month that the average social security income in Bulgaria for April reached BGN 1,639. For the period between May 2023 and April 2024, the average monthly social security income was BGN 1,515.40.