site.btaNearly 125,000 Unemployed in Bulgaria in Q3 of 2023

In the third quarter of 2023, there were 125,000 unemployed persons in Bulgaria, of whom 69,900 (55.9%) men and 55,100 (44.1%) women, the National Statistical Institute (NSI) said. Compared with the third quarter of 2022, the number of unemployed persons increased by 14,000 (12.6%). Over the same period, the unemployment rate went up by 0.4 percentage points to 4.0% (4.3% for men and 3.8% for women).

Of all unemployed persons, 17.1% have tertiary education, 49.6% have secondary education and 33.3% have primary or lower education. The unemployment rate by level of educational attainment was as follows: 2.1% for tertiary education, 3.6% secondary education and 12.0% lower education.

In the third quarter of 2023, there were 66,300 long-term unemployed people (unemployed for one year or more), 53.1% of all unemployed. The long-term unemployment rate was 2.1% (2.2% for men and 2.1% for women).

Of all unemployed, 17,700 persons (14.1%) were looking for their first job.

In the third quarter of 2023, the youth unemployment rate (in the 15-29 age group) was 8.3% (9.0% for men and 7.4% for women). Compared with the same quarter of 2022, the youth unemployment rate went up by 0.3 percentage points, which was entirely due to an increase in the jobless rate for women.