Employment in the services sector is increasing, while demand for labor in sectors such as agriculture and industry is decreasing. Data from the National Statistical Institute reflect this trend, typical for the first quarter of the year. During the same period, nearly 3.5 million people were employed in the national economy, having worked close to 1.5 million labor hours, the statistics show.

According to forecasts by the National Employment Agency, Bulgarian businesses will need about 262,000 workers and specialists this year. Companies are planning to hire new employees and are looking for candidates mostly with secondary education — builders, tailors, cooks, drivers, accountants, assemblers and technicians. 

The number of vacant positions in these sectors exceed 59,000. The business sector also experiences a shortage of specialists with higher education, with nearly 60,000 vacant positions. There is also a demand for qualified nurses, doctors, engineers and pharmacists. There is also demand for teaching staff and lecturers. Employers are looking for unskilled workers as well. According to surveys by the National Employment Agency, over 66% of companies operating in Bulgaria are experiencing labor shortages. The main difficulty in hiring new staff is related to the lack of education and qualifications among job seekers.

According to Eurostat, the labor market is currently undergoing major transformations due to technological progress, demographic changes and the pursuit of sustainable development. These challenges are even more acute in Bulgaria, as the country’s population has declined to below 6.5 million people.

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Seasonal employment is a temporary phenomenon in the labor market, both for job seekers in Bulgaria and for our compatriots who want to find employment abroad. ''With regard to employment opportunities in Bulgaria, the National Employment Agency organizes job fairs before the start of the summer season, where people can meet directly with potential employers'', reminds Gabriela Goranova-Dimcheva, Deputy Executive Director of the National Employment Agency.

''This usually happens in March and April, when the season has not yet started, so that hotel and restaurant staff along the Black Sea coast can be hired on time. As for people looking for employment abroad, we actively monitor how many individuals registered with labor offices terminate their registration because they start work in another EU country. In the first five months of 2025, 5,000 people de-registered from labor offices after finding seasonal employment abroad. Our workers most often go to countries like Italy, Germany, Greece, France and Belgium. They are employed in agriculture, manufacturing and construction. There is also demand in the hospitality and restaurant industries'', said Gabriela Goranova-Dimcheva. 

It is important to note that job centers have the role of consulting and informing these individuals before they leave the country. They provide them with information about the living and working conditions in the country where they want to work, said Gabriela Dimcheva in an interview with Radio Bulgaria, adding that this is done through the so-called EURES labor mobility services. A large portion of the information is available on a national website maintained by the European Commission. It provides details on job vacancies, and the labor mobility services themselves are offered at all 106 job centres across the country.

''Since the beginning of this year, unemployment in Bulgaria has been decreasing. According to official data as of the end of April, the unemployment rate registered by the National Employment Agency was 5.25% — which is 0.43% lower than the same period last year'', said Gabriela Goranova-Dimcheva.

''Of course, our job placement services are a key part of the National Employment Agency's work, and in April alone, over 19,700 people found employment after being registered with the job centers. We are actively trying to reach individuals who are not registered with the National Employment Agency or the job centres and who are neither studying nor working. These are the so-called inactive people. Our goal is to reach them in order to motivate them to register with labor offices and then receive services tailored to their individual needs. In some cases, this happens through enrolling them in training programs; in other cases, it may mean offering them a job'', Gabriela Goranova-Dimcheva went on to say.

In May, the ratio of job vacancies to registered unemployed individuals showed that six job seekers were competing for each available position. ''A person’s level of qualification is of primary importance — it determines their chances of succeeding in the labor market", says Gabriela Goranova-Dimcheva.

''Those registered as unemployed at the job centers do not always have the necessary qualifications for the available positions. One way to address this issue is by enrolling unemployed individuals in various types of training programs. These programs are completely free of charge, and the application process can be done through the website of the National Employment Agency'', said Gabriela Goranova-Dimcheva.