Nearly every third employer in Bulgaria plans to expand their teams in the period October 2025 - March 2026, according to the ninth national survey of the Bulgarian Employment Confederation (BEC).
The survey, based on the opinions of 1,017 employers from 12 industries, shows optimism in the labor market. While 28% plan new appointments, 22% plan layoffs, and 38% will maintain their current staff. Thus, the net employment rate reaches +6% – an increase of three percentage points compared to the previous survey period.
“Despite the turbulent economic environment and geopolitical uncertainty, the demand for personnel remains stable. Companies are increasingly realizing that in the battle for talent, it is not enough to simply hire specialists – they must actively invest in strategies for their retention and development. We see how successful organizations rethink their approaches to personnel management, offer flexible working models and create opportunities for professional growth. This is no longer a matter of choice, but of survival,“ commented Nadya Vasileva, Chairwoman of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“It is interesting to note that, given our economy's need for at least 300,000 workers, only 23% of the surveyed employers have or would hire people from third countries. This clearly shows that Bulgaria needs to develop a targeted migration policy, a clear state strategy and legislation that would facilitate and accelerate the process of attracting specialists from abroad,“ she added.
The IT sector leads with the most optimistic plans
The information technology sector shows the strongest growth in expectations for hiring new employees (+23%), followed by manufacturing (+18%), wholesale and retail trade (+16%) and financial and insurance activities, real estate and business services (+14%).
Positive, although more moderate expectations are also found in the sectors “Hotel and restaurant“ (+9%), “Construction“ (+8%), “Outsourcing“ (+7%), “Transport, storage and communications“ (+6%), “Public and social sector“ (+3%) and “Electricity, gas and water“ (+1%).
„The coming months will bring growth for a number of industries. To remain competitive, talents need to invest in new skills – especially in the field of artificial intelligence and new technologies. In a world where change is constant, flexibility and readiness to adapt are the most valuable qualities,“ said Nadya Vasileva.
Regional differences
Sofia (+65%) and Plovdiv (+17%) plan the most active expansion of teams, while in Varna (+8%) and Burgas (+8%) the forecasts decrease by four and two percentage points respectively compared to the previous six months, and in Ruse (+2%) they remain the same.
„The data unequivocally indicate that the Bulgarian labor market demonstrates resilience despite global uncertainty. We see how companies gradually adapt to the new reality and look for ways to grow. "Organizations that invest in the development of their people today, build the digital and analytical skills of their teams, and create flexible working models will be the undisputed leaders of tomorrow. This is a moment of rethinking and transformation that requires courage and vision," concludes Vasileva.