site.btaEmployment Agency Reports Unemployment at 5.4% in January 2026

Registered unemployment in Bulgaria stood at 5.4% in January 2026, the Employment Agency said on Tuesday. Compared with the same month of 2025, the rate decreased by 0.17 percentage points. A total of 153,153 people were registered as unemployed at the end of January, down 3.1% year on year.

In January, 10,143 unemployed found jobs through labour offices, while 635 employed, studying or retired individuals received support to change or develop their careers. The total number of people who moved into employment in January reached 10,778.

More than 4,800 people were encouraged to take initial steps towards entering the labour market. In January, 656 people from vulnerable groups started subsidized employment under programmes, and 591 participants were employed under projects financed by the Human Resources Development Programme 2021 - 2027, co-funded by the European Social Fund Plus.

More than 7,600 training vouchers for unemployed and employed persons were issued during the month. Employers declared 7,930 vacancies on the primary labour market, mainly in manufacturing, public administration, trade and vehicle repair, education, hotels and restaurants, transport and other economic activities.

The most sought-after occupations included caregivers, machine operators, sales assistants, workers in extractive and manufacturing industries, construction and transport, specialists in food, clothing and wood production, teachers, waste collection workers and mechanical engineering specialists.

Unemployment in December 2025 was 5.19%, according to data released in January by the Employment Agency.

According to the National Statistical Institute, the unemployment rate in the fourth quarter of 2025 was 3.2%, down 0.6 percentage points compared with the fourth quarter of 2024.