The number of job vacancies announced through labor offices is decreasing. The analysis of the Employment Agency shows that nine unemployed people are fighting for one position, reports Nova TV.
From 109 thousand job vacancies announced by September 2023 - up to 99,000 for the same period in 2024. At the end of last year, just over 148 thousand people or 5.23% were unemployed, registered with the Labor Offices in the country.
The most newly unemployed people have submitted documents in the districts: Blagoevgrad, Plovdiv, Sofia, where the population in these cities is even larger. However, the leaders in terms of the highest unemployment rate are the regions with low economic activity and few attracted investments: Vidin, Montana, Silistra.
And although Sofia reports the most new unemployed, it is in the capital that it is easiest to find a job, experts say.
After the New Year, 19-year-old Boris Stefanov remains unemployed and is at the Labor Office in Sofia. Until the beginning of the month, he worked as a computer technician, so he is looking for a similar position. “I am looking for all places related to the hardware and technology sectors. They should notify me of all positions for companies they work with on my next visit. If I find one in the meantime, I should notify them within a week“, he pointed out.
Together with Boris, a little over 148 thousand people are looking for work at the Labor Offices in our country. "We are noticing a decrease of 150 thousand - this is a limit, at the end of last year we were below this figure," said Gabriela Dimcheva, Deputy Executive Director of the Employment Agency.
And with unemployment, job advertisements are also decreasing, with the most serious decline in the last month of last year in the fields of advertising and construction. “Orders to Western Europe are decreasing, we also mean the economic situation in Germany, with which many Bulgarian companies have close ties and all these facts are reflected”, added Dimcheva.
And yet, the most people are still sought after for “processing industry, education, trade, hotel and restaurant management, as well as administrative and auxiliary activities”, the deputy executive director explained.
The Employment Agency offers training for professional qualification, and businesses are also looking for other solutions to the shortage of personnel. “The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry continues to work to facilitate access for Bulgarian companies to import labor from abroad“, the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry indicates.
And the forecasts are that by the end of 2025, unemployment in our country will increase by half a percent.