At the beginning of 2022, the labour market in Bulgaria displayed characteristics and trends similar to those before the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. There was a relatively low level of registered unemployment. According to the administrative statistical data of the Employment Agency, in January the unemployment rate was 4.9%. Daily dynamics in February showed almost zero growth in registered unemployment, which is highly unusual for the season. In the months when traditionally the highest number of registered unemployed is observed (January and February), their number was around 160 000 people. The average daily number of newly registered unemployed in January 2022 was 1 280 people. By contrast, in January of the pre-crisis year 2019 it was 1 490 people, or 14% higher. At the same time, the average daily number of unemployed persons who found a job decreased by 25% in January 2022 compared to January 2019. Seasonally adjusted data on inflow and outflow dynamics since Q2 2020 indicate an increased share of transitions from unemployment into inactivity. These facts suggest that a part of the labour force has distanced itself from the labour market, which is deemed to result primarily from the still ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The low rate of registered unemployment is a sign that the growth potential of the economy is rapidly contracting. It will become increasingly more difficult to find professionals for the job vacancies advertised. In January 2022, 11 788 vacancies were announced at job centres, out of which 11% for specialists. By contrast, job vacancies in January 2019 were 15% higher – 13 860, out of which 8.7% demanded specialists.
2021 was a difficult year for the labour market, given the frequently imposed restrictions, the high number of COVID cases and business environment changes. Despite these difficulties, monitoring the processes through EA data found that the market is operating in a state of predominant demand for skilled labour. With every passing year, employers will be less likely to look for unskilled labour. The skill shortage currently experienced in the market will increase. Labour market challenges during this year and the next several years will be driven by rapidly changing market conditions. Recently emerged energy and political crises in Europe threaten to decrease investment growth rate and slow down economic growth. Market restructuring that has been ongoing for the last two years will continue during this year as well, with a growing share of remote service delivery within the service sector dominant in the country. This will also increase the demand for new skills, first and foremost digital skills. The green transition and the measures included in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan will also trigger a demand for new skills in the labour market.
The data from the Workforce Survey conducted by the National Statistical Institute (NSI) for Q4 2021 confirm a gradual recovery of the labour market. The activity rate for the population aged 15-64 is 71.8%, decreasing by 1.2 percentage points (ppt) compared to Q4 2019, and by 0.9 ppt compared to the same quarter of 2020. The employment rate for the 15-64 age group decreased by 0.3 ppt to 68.5% compared to the same quarter of 2020. The unemployment rate was 4.6% or lower by 0.7 ppt compared to Q4 2020. The number of discouraged people aged 15-64 was 56 300, or 4.6% of the economically inactive persons in that age group.
The total number of employed persons aged 15 years and over in Q4 2021 was 3 080 500 people. This represents a decrease of employed persons by 1.5% compared to Q4 2020. The relative share of employed persons aged 15 years and over stood at 52.6% (58.8% for men and 46.9% for women).
According to data published by the National Statistical Institute, as at 31 December 2020 Bulgaria’s population stood at 6 916 548, of whom 3 566 833 (51.6%) were women and 3 349 715 (48.4%) were men. The men to women ratio was 1 000 to 1 065.
According to data from the Workforce Survey of the National Statistical Institute, in Q4 2021 there were 3 227 200 economically active persons in Bulgaria, of whom 3 134 900 were in the 15-64 age group. In the same age group, the economic activity rate stood at 71.8%.
The total number of employed persons aged 15 years and over in Q4 2021 was 3 080 500, of whom 2 990 400 persons were in the 15-64 age group. The employment rate for this age group was 68.5%. As before, the largest number and share of employed persons (61.3% or 1 889 800 people) work in the service sector, followed by those employed by industry (30.3% or 932 900 people), and agriculture (6.2% or 190 300 people).
The number of employed persons increased in 7 out of 19 economic sectors compared to the same quarter of 2020, with the largest relative growth observed in the sector of information and creative work production and distribution and telecommunications (ICT) – 8.7% or an increase in the number of employed persons of 8 700. An increase was also observed in real estate operations, finance and insurance. A decrease of 21 300 persons, or 3.7%, was reported in the processing industry, of 13 800 persons, or 2.6%, in retail and wholesale, etc.
Data for Q4 2021 from the Workforce Survey conducted by the National Statistical Institute indicates a year-on-year decrease in the number of economically active persons in the 15-64 age group (by 65 500 persons), along with a decrease in the number of employed persons in the same age group (by 39 300 persons). The number of unemployed persons in the 15-64 age group decreased by 26 200 persons compared to the same period of 2020.
The average monthly number of registered unemployed persons in Bulgaria between January and December 2021 stood at 181 486 persons, which represents a decrease of 59 927 persons compared to same period of the previous year.
The average monthly unemployment year-on-year rate in 2021, calculated as a share of the economically active population in 2011 (on the basis of 2011 Census data), stood at 5.5%. This was 1.9 ppt lower than the figure for the same period of 2020.
In 2021, the largest companies in terms of revenue growth in Bulgaria were: Lukoil Neftohim – Burgas, Aurubis Bulgaria (Cumerio Med), Lukoil – Bulgaria, Bulgarian Energy Holding AD, Astra Bioplant, Saksa, Kaufland Bulgaria, Bulgargas, KOZLODUY Nuclear Power Plant, LIDL BULGARIA & CO, Express Logistics and Distribution, Naftex Petrol AD, OMV Bulgaria, CEZ Electro Bulgaria, Litex, Liebherr – Hausgeräte Marica, Mobiltel AD, Vivacom, Telenor, etc.
The most desirable employers for jobseekers in Bulgaria were: VMware Ltd, which is a global leader in cloud infrastructures, SAP Labs Bulgaria, Lidl Bulgaria, Nestle Bulgaria, Coca-Cola Bulgaria (IT Development Center), Lufthansa Technik Sofia Ltd, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, IBM Bulgaria, Paysafe, which develops digital products for payments and money transfers, Sopharma AD, which is the largest Bulgarian pharmaceutical company, IKEA Bulgaria, dm Bulgaria, A1 Bulgaria EAD, etc.
In 2021, job centres in Bulgaria advertised a total of 177 372 vacancies on the primary labour market. This represents a decrease of 9 369 (5.0%) in the available jobs compared to the previous year. Demand for workers and employees through job centres was the highest in the area of personal services (chefs, waiting and bar staff, hairdressers, beauticians, care workers, entertainers, etc.), with a total of 19 133 vacancies. Demand for stationary machine and equipment operators remained high – 14 864 vacancies. There were 12 863 vacancies for workers in the mining and processing industries and 3 960 vacancies for workers in agriculture, forestry and fisheries (gardeners, workers in horticulture and animal husbandry, forest workers, etc.). A great number of vacancies for sales assistants was advertised (11 182). The same was true of vacancies for skilled workers in the manufacture of food and clothing, timber products and related products (8 936) and vacancies for workers in waste collection and related spheres (9 983). There was also a considerable number of vacancies for care workers (10 665). Nearly 7 460 vacancies for drivers and mobile equipment operators were opened. 8 225 vacancies for metallurgists, machine construction experts and craftsmen in related areas were advertised, along with 7 015 vacancies for security and protection personnel. During the recruitment process, employers gave priority to jobseekers who showed that they are highly skilled, possess strong motivation and have the mindset necessary to acquire new knowledge quickly.
Between January and December 2021, a total of 278 729 persons were newly registered as unemployed with job centres of the Employment Agency, i.e. 135 845 persons fewer than for the same period of 2020. Persons previously engaged in the service sector continued to account for the largest share of those made redundant, namely 46.2% (128 781 persons). These were followed by job losses in the industry sector – 21.5% (60 008 persons). The share of persons newly registered with job centres, who were previously engaged in the agro-industry (agriculture, forestry and fisheries), remained the lowest at 4.1% (11 312 persons). A total of 78 629 persons (28.2% of all newly registered unemployed) came from an unspecified sector. This group comprises individuals who completed their secondary or higher education during the same year, economically inactive persons, persons who did not specify the sector they were made redundant from or persons who have never worked (inactive).
In terms of economic activities, the largest share of unemployed persons newly registered with job centres were made redundant from the processing industry (16.3%), retail and wholesale (12.4%), public administration (10.9%) and hotel and restaurant management (5.5%). They were followed by persons made redundant from the sectors of agriculture, forestry and fisheries (4.1%), construction (4.0%), transport, warehousing and postal services (2.5%), administrative and support activities (2.2%), etc.
In terms of occupational structure, the largest category of unemployed persons registered with job centres in 2021 remained those without any qualifications or specialisation, with a monthly average of 98 039 persons. This group accounted for 54.0% of total unemployment, or 2.3 percentage points higher compared to the previous year. The majority in this group had lower secondary education or lower (77.8%), followed by unemployed persons in the categories of blue-collar workers (23.6%) and specialists (22.4%). Among specialists, the highest share of unemployed persons was in social sciences, economics and law (34.0%), followed by engineering and technical specialists (29.3%), specialists in the field of services, transport and security (11.0%), etc. In terms of educational structure, nearly half (41.8%) of the unemployed persons registered with job centres in 2021 had lower secondary education or lower. Their share rose by 3.6 percentage points as the total number of registered unemployed decreased, while the share of unemployed persons with higher education fell by 1.6 percentage points to 13.3% of all registered unemployed. The relative share of persons with upper secondary education also decreased to 44.9% from 46.9% in 2020.
Information sources: Administrative statistics of the Employment Agency, Workforce Survey conducted by the National Statistical Institute, Bulgarian National Bank, Institute for Market Economics,https://money.bg/economics, Capital Weekly https://www.capital.bg/k100-2019/, https://www.nsi.bg/bg/node/18120/, https://forbesbulgaria.com/2021/12/03/top-20-most-wanted-employers-in-bulgaria/
In 2021, the labour market in the North Central Region recovered and functioned in a relatively stable manner in the context of a continuing pandemic and the resulting restrictions. Data from the Workforce Surveys conducted by the National Statistical Institute (NSI) showed year-on-year negative trends. The number of economically active persons aged 15-64 in the region stood at 332 400 in Q4 2021, which constitutes a year-on-year decrease of 13 500 people. The share of economically active persons in the North Central Region stood at 70.5% compared to the national average of 71.8%. In terms of economic activity, the North Central Region ranks third after the South West Region (76.4%) and the North East Region (72.8%). In Q4 2021, the number of employed persons in the 15-64 age group stood at 306 400, which constitutes a decrease of 18 300 people (5.6%) compared to the same period of the previous year. The employment rate was 65.0% compared to the national rate of 68.5%. The number of employed persons fell in three of the constitutive provinces – by 6 000 in the province of Razgrad, 10 800 in the province of Veliko Tarnovo and 3 400 in the province of Ruse, with an increase by 400 in the province of Gabrovo and 1 500 in the province of Silistra. During Q4 2021, the highest number of employed persons in the 15-64 age group was registered in the province of Veliko Tarnovo (96 400), and the lowest – in the province of Silistra (36 500). Mirroring trends at provincial level, municipal labour markets also displayed significant variations due to the different degree of economic development of each municipality, the specificities of demographic processes and the educational level of economically active persons.
According to National Statistical Institute data, as at 31 December 2020 the population of the North Central Region stood at 764 897 people or 11.1% of Bulgaria’s total population. Women accounted for 51.5% of the population and men for 48.5%. A total of 66.1% of the population live in towns. Veliko Tarnovo had the largest population (229 718 people) followed by Ruse (212 729 people). The population of the other provinces was considerably lower: 109 810 people in Razgrad, 106 852 people in Silistra and 105 788 people in Gabrovo. This constituted a decrease of 1.1% in population size compared to the end of December 2019.
In 2021, the measures put in place to maintain and promote employment and eliminate the economic consequences of the aggravated epidemiological situation achieved the desired effect. Unemployment inflows decreased to their normal levels. During the year, the total number of newly registered unemployed stood at 34 472, which constitutes a 28.3% year-on-year decrease.
According to the administrative statistics of the Employment Agency, in 2021 the rate of registered unemployment in job centres in the North Central Region stood at a monthly average of 22 278 persons, which constitutes a 24.5% year-on-year decrease. The largest number of unemployed persons was reported in the province of Veliko Tarnovo – 5 699, followed by the provinces of Ruse – 5 603, Razgrad – 4 595, Silistra – 4 260 and Gabrovo – 2 121. The highest number of registered unemployed in the North Central Region was recorded in January – 28 156 persons, which is related to the seasonal nature of the labour market. From February to September inclusive, the number of unemployed persons continued to decline, reaching 19 944 at the end of the year, which is 24.8% lower than compared to the end of December 2020 (26 513). In September 2021, the number of unemployed persons reached its historical minimum – 19 013.
In 2021, the average registered unemployment rate in the North Central Region, calculated on the basis of the number of persons registered with job centres as a proportion of the economically active population (aged 15-64) according to data from the 2011 Census, was 6.1% compared to the national average of 5.5%. That rate remained lower than the national average in the provinces of Gabrovo (3.9%), Veliko Tarnovo (5.3%) and Ruse (5.4%). The unemployment rate in the other provinces was as follows: 8.8% in Razgrad and 9.4% in Silistra.
The Workforce Survey conducted by the National Statistical Institute revealed that in Q4 2021 the number of unemployed persons in the 15-64 age group in the North Central Region stood at 26 000, which represents a year-on-year increase of 4 800 persons. The unemployment rate in the region was 7.8% compared to the national rate of 4.6%. The North Central Region had the highest unemployment rate among all regions.
Data on inactive persons showed a year-on-year growth (NSI). In Q4 2021, the number of persons aged 15-64 outside the labour force in the North Central Region was 138 900, compared to 132 700 in the same quarter of 2020. This increase is explained by the fact that restrictive measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 were in place for a large part of the year, leading to an increase in the group of people who dropped out of the labour market and were not actively looking for a job.
The companies of structural importance for the economy and the developing companies in the region operate in the following sectors: food and beverages; extraction and processing of industrial minerals; manufacturing metal products and tools, machines and equipment, metal processing, including manufacturing parts and accessories for the automotive industry; manufacturing sanitary ceramics and fittings, flexible connections, products made of wood particles, packaging; chemical, pharmaceutical, textile and wood processing industries; retail and wholesale, services, construction and repairs, etc. Agriculture, wine-making and the processing of farming and livestock products are traditional, well-established sectors of the local economy.
The largest employers in the North Central Region are Extrapack OOD, Prestige 96 AD, Patni stroezhi – Veliko Tarnovo AD, Den i nosht OOD (Veliko Tarnovo), Apolon AD, Zaharni zavodi AD (Gorna Oryahovitsa); Arcus AD (Lyaskovets); Svilocell AD (Svishtov), AMK — Zadvizhvashta i upravlyavashta tehnika EOOD, Zalli OOD, Podemcrane AD, Ceratizit Bulgaria AD, Gewindewerkzeuge Gabrovo GmbH, Impuls AD, Gabi Invest (Gabrovo), Hamberger EOOD, Ideal Standard - Vidima AD (Sevlievo); Witte Automotive Bulgaria EOOD, Linamar Light Metals Ruse EOOD, Orgachim AD, Delta Textile Bulgaria EOOD, Keros Bulgaria EAD, Septona Bulgaria AD, Dunarit AD, BTB Bulgaria AD, Ekon 91 OOD, Econt Express OOD, Construction Tools EOOD, Bader Bulgaria KD, Naiden Kirov AD, Toplofikatsia Ruse AD, Astra Bioplant EOOD, Irim EOOD
(Ruse); Kaolin AD (Senovo); Antibiotic - Razgrad AD, Biovet Razgrad AD, ADM AD, Pilko OOD (Razgrad), Khan Asparuh AD, Agrotime EOOD (Isperih); ZMM Stomana AD, Fazarles AD, Elica-elevator OOD, Tucai Bulgaria EOOD (Silistra); Traktsia (Samuil village), etc.
The occupations most in demand by employers in the region in 2021 were for stationary machinery and equipment operators; unskilled workers in the mining and processing industry, construction and transport; care workers, metallurgists and machine construction experts; drivers of motor vehicles and mobile installations, skilled workers in the manufacture of food, clothing, timber products; sellers, workers in waste collection, staff working in the personal services sector (chefs, bar and waiting staff, room cleaning staff, etc.); teachers; cleaners and assistants, etc.
A total of 18 973 vacancies were advertised by employers with the job centres of the Employment Agency in the North Central Region during the year, which constitutes a 10.2% year-on-year decrease. According to Employment Agency data, in 2021 the largest number of jobs in the North Central Region were opened in the processing industry (clothing, textiles and footwear, machine building, metal processing, manufacturing parts for the automotive industry, electronics, furniture making, chemical and food industry, production of beverages, etc.) – 7 724 vacancies, followed by the public administration – 1 964; retail and wholesale – 1 733, education – 1 574, agriculture – 1 567, construction – 963, hotel and restaurant management – 791; healthcare and social work – 788, etc.
The majority of vacancies which employers sought to fill through job centres in the region continued to require low-skilled labour (56.1%), which largely corresponds to the educational and skills profile of the unemployed persons registered in the region. A large portion of employers did not require previous experience and employment history in the relevant field but instead expected hard work, self-control and discipline from prospective employees.
In 2021, the greatest demand for specialists via job centres was in the sectors of education; services, transport and security; socio-economic and legal affairs; healthcare; technical and technological services, etc.
Labour market trends are expected to stay the same and labour demand is expected to increase in the coming months in view of the launch of seasonal activities.
As regards the post-redundancy distribution of the registered unemployed across economic sectors in 2021 (according to statistical data of the Employment Agency), the largest share of job losses continued to be generated by the services sector (15 410), particularly by the public administration (4 373); retail and repair of cars and motorcycles (4 260); healthcare and social work (1 405); hotel and restaurant management (1 400); transport, warehousing and postal services (863), education (641), administrative and support activities (610), etc.
8 477 of the persons registered did not specify a sector. These are persons who had either just finished their studies, were inactive or had failed to state their latest place of employment.
The industrial sector generated the second largest number of registered unemployed persons with 8 288 redundancies, including 6 569 (79.3%) redundancies from processing plants, 1 338 from the construction industry and the rest from the mining industry, electricity and heat generation and distribution, water supply and sewerage, waste management and reclamation.
Agriculture continued to account for the lowest number of job losses, standing at 2 297.
In terms of occupational structure, in 2021 the largest category of persons registered as unemployed remained the group of people without any qualifications or specialisation – 52.2%, with a 3.5 ppt higher relative share compared to 2020.
They were followed by persons registered as unemployed in the categories of blue-collar workers (26.9%) and specialists (20.9%). The highest share of specialists seeking work were those in the fields of social sciences, economics and law; engineering and technology; services, transport and security, etc. Some of them have professional skills which were not in demand on the local labour markets.
In terms of education, 46.5% of the unemployed persons registered with job centres in the North Central Region in 2021 had secondary education, including 74.5% with secondary specialised or vocational education, followed by persons with a low level of education (41.4%). University graduates had the lowest share (12.1%) of registered unemployment, with a 0.7 ppt year-on-year decrease.
The age structure of registered unemployment was characterised by a high relative share of unemployed persons over the age of 50. In 2021, this share was 45.3%, with a 2.2 ppt year-on-year increase. The share of young unemployed persons up to the age of 29 stood at 10.4% (a decrease of 1.3 ppt). The share of the subgroup of people aged 24 years or younger stood at 4.4% compared to 4.9% in 2020.
Information sources:National Statistical Institute and administrative statistical data of the Employment Agency.
Between January and December 2021, the economic situation in the North East planning region was dominated by the seasonal nature of labour supply and demand, which is determined by the structure of the local economy. The highest seasonal demand for labour was registered in agriculture, tourism, retail and wholesale and the processing industry (food and beverages, clothing, glass, and the porcelain and faience industry). Summer is generally the busiest period for these sectors and this is also when a peak in employment was registered. In the autumn and winter, business activity drops, leading to a decline in demand for labour.
Territory: the North East Region comprises the provinces of Varna, Dobrich, Targovishte and Shumen. The region borders Romania. Its total area is 14 487 square kilometres, accounting for 13% of the territory of Bulgaria.
The population of the North East Region (according to National Statistical Institute data as at 31 December 2020) is 922 230 inhabitants spread in 35 municipalities comprising a total of 721 settlements (30 towns and cities and 691 villages). Men accounted for 48.6% of the population and women for 51.4%.
The increased economic activity and GDP growth observed in recent years in the four regions of the North East Region led to a rise in employment and a significant decline in unemployment. According to NSI data for Q4 2020 the employment rate of the 15-64 age group in the North East Region stood at 67.7% against the national rate of 68.8%. Compared to the same quarter of the previous year, this marked a decrease of 1.6 percentage points in the employment rate of the population in the North East Region. This should be considered in the context of the national average, which also decreased by 1.2 percentage points.
As at 31 December 2021, the number of unemployed persons registered with job centres in the North East Region was 20 297, marking a year-on-year decrease.
The average monthly number of unemployed persons registered with job centres in the North East Region between January and December 2021 stood at 23 702 persons. The largest number of unemployed persons was reported in the provinces of Varna (8 689) and Shumen (7 028), followed by the provinces of Targovishte (4 063) and Dobrich (3 922). The average registered unemployment rate in the North East Region in 2021, calculated on the basis of the number of persons registered with job centres as a proportion of the economically active population (in the 15-64 age group) based on 2011 census data, was 5.5%. The lowest unemployment rate was reported in the province of Varna (3.9%), followed by the province of Dobrich (estimated at 4.9%). The unemployment rate in the remaining provinces stood at 8.3% in the province of Targovishte and 9.2% (the highest rate) in the province of Shumen.
Occupations most sought after by employers in the region in 2021 were in the field of personal services: chefs, bar and waiting staff, kitchen staff, room cleaning staff, valets. Many employers sought sales consultants, cashiers and teaching professionals. The need for skilled workers was mainly in the food and clothing industries (tailors, upholsters, cutters, bakers, meat cutters) and in metallurgy and machine manufacture (welders, metalworkers, mechanics, turners, car mechanics). There was a demand for machine operators, assembly workers, drivers, operators of specialist agricultural equipment. The vacancies for unskilled workers were generally for washing and cleaning staff, security guards, janitors, seasonal workers in forestry and agriculture, general workers, etc.
According to Employment Agency data, the largest number of vacancies in the North East Region between January and December 2021 was available in hotel and restaurant management (5 932) and in the processing industry (5 718). There were a total of 2 895 vacancies in retail and repair of cars and motorcycles (mainly for sales assistants, cashiers, promoters, warehouse workers, sales representatives, electrical mechanics, technicians, workers in car repair workshops, etc.). 2 067 vacancies were advertised in the public administration. A total of 1 853 vacancies were advertised in agriculture, forestry and fisheries. Most of them were for farm workers, tractor drivers, field crop growers, animal breeders, afforestation workers, landscape gardeners, forestry and agriculture workers, etc. 1 831 vacancies were advertised in the sector of education (teachers, educators, pedagogues). 1 618 jobs were offered in the field of administrative and support services (office managers, technical secretaries, associates, accountants). 859 vacancies were advertised in the sector of construction, including concrete finishers, painters, bricklayers, plumbers, carpenters, steel fixers, as well as floor layers and tile setters.
The majority of vacancies which employers sought to fill through job centres in the region were for low-skilled labour (75.5% or 19 136 vacancies). They comprise mostly general workers, cleaning staff, janitors, security guards, kitchen staff, etc.
There were 2 293 vacancies for specialists, with the highest demand being for highly-skilled professionals (economists, doctors, construction and machine engineers, teaching staff and IT experts). The vacancies announced for blue-collar workers were 3 902. There was a pronounced demand for qualified chefs, waiting and bar staff, administrators, lifeguards and entertainers.
The labour market in the North East Region continued to experience a shortage of highly skilled personnel, particularly ICT specialists, machine engineers, civil engineers and technicians, teaching professionals (foreign language graduates), medical professionals (doctors, nurses, speech therapists). The shortage of skilled workers in tourism and hotel and restaurant management, which are essential for many local labour markets in the North East region, continues to increase.
The post-redundancy distribution of registered unemployed persons across economic sectors (according to statistical data of the Employment Agency) was as follows: the largest share of job losses was generated by the services sector (18 635), out of which 4 277 were in retail and wholesale, 4 242 in public administration, 3 404 in hotel and restaurant management, 1 262 in healthcare and social work, 1 058 in transport, warehousing and postal services, 988 in administrative and support services, 708 in education and 531 in real estate.
The second largest number of job losses was registered in the industry sector, with 7 033 redundancies, including 4 836 in the processing industry and 1 713 in construction.
Agriculture, forestry and fisheries continued to account for the lowest number of job losses, standing at 1 848.
In 2021, the number of newly registered unemployed persons in the North East Region for whom no information about a previous employer was reported upon registration with job centres stood at 8 897.
In terms of occupational structure, between January and December the majority of registered unemployed continued to be persons without any qualifications or specialisation (13 418), followed by blue-collar workers (5 607) and specialists (4 678). Among specialists, the largest number of unemployed persons were those with degrees in the social sciences, economics and law (1 402) as well as engineering and technical specialists (1 146).
In terms of education, in 2021 almost half (46.2%) of the unemployed persons registered in the North East Region had lower secondary education or lower. Those with higher education accounted for 14.6% of the registered unemployed. Persons with secondary education were 40.5%, of whom 72.1% had secondary vocational education. This unfavourable trend is a consequence of the deepening imbalance between labour demand and supply and the shortage of qualified personnel in key sectors.
Information sources: Administrative statistics of the Employment Agency, profiles of the planning regions (available on the website of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works); National Statistical Institute (NSI).
Economic activity and employment were once again the lowest in the North West planning region, which consequently had the highest unemployment rate in 2021. According to preliminary NSI data, in the context of an emergency epidemic situation in the country, the total number of persons working under employment contracts and civil servants in the constituent provinces of the North West Region (Vidin, Montana, Vratsa, Lovech and Pleven) showed an upward trend in December 2021 compared to January 2021, with alternating upward and downward trends depending on the month, owing to seasonal employment, the evolving pandemic and the anti-epidemiological measures applied in the country. At the same time, in 2021 the average monthly unemployment rate in the North West Region registered an decrease of 2.4 percentage points, reaching 9.5% compared to 11.9% in 2020, thus remaining the highest in Bulgaria at 4.0 percentage points above the national average (5.5%) (according to the administrative statistics of the Employment Agency).
This region is the least attractive to foreign investors, and municipalities, especially those in the provinces of Vidin, Montana and Vratsa, have failed to compensate for the lack of private investment with the high uptake of EU funds. The low rates of taxes and fees and a fairly good level of administrative services have also failed to offset the influence of negative factors such as poor infrastructure development and a worsening of the demographic and educational characteristics of the workforce.
The following sectors of structural importance to the region’s economy are the most seriously affected by the unfavourable workforce profile in the North West Region: textiles, clothing, machine manufacture and metal processing, construction, transport, manufacturing ceramics, wood processing, companies in retail and wholesale, services, health, etc.
Territory: the North West Region comprises the administrative provinces of Vidin, Vratsa, Montana, Pleven and Lovech. It has an area of 19 070 square kilometres or 17.0% of Bulgaria’s territory.
The population of the North West Region (according to National Statistical Institute data as at 1 February 2011) is 847 138 inhabitants spread over 51 municipalities which comprise 45 towns and cities and 623 villages. In 2021, the average monthly number of unemployed persons registered with job centres fell by 7 990 or 20.02% compared to 2020.
The average monthly number of unemployed persons registered with job centres in the North West Region in 2021 stood at 31 913. Unemployment rate was highest in the province of Pleven (8 399), followed by the provinces of Vratsa (7 749), Montana (6 494), Vidin (4 662) and Lovech (4 610). According to Employment Agency data, the average monthly registered unemployment rate in the North West Region stood at 9.5% compared to the national average of 5.5%. Unemployment rates in the individual provinces stood at: 7.8% in Pleven, 8.3% in Lovech, 10.3% in Vratsa, and 10.8% in Montana. The highest rate (12.3%) was registered in the province of Vidin.
Since the introduction of the state of emergency until the end of the year, a total of 3 548 unemployed persons claimed at their registration that they were made redundant as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some of the more important and developing economic sectors in the region are the food and beverage industry, manufacturing of car batteries, machine manufacture, timber production and wood processing, clothing, pharmaceutical and chemical industry and services.
Agriculture and processing of agricultural products are traditional sectors of the regional economy.
In the period under consideration employers in the region mostly sought: doctors, nurses, engineers, tailors, sales assistants, waiting and bar staff, accountants, healthcare assistants, bakers, cooks, confectionery makers, timber production workers, agricultural workers, electrical mechanics, welders, general workers, etc.
According to Employment Agency data, the largest number of vacancies (7 265 or 38.9%) available in the North West Region during this period was in the processing industry (textiles, clothing, food and beverages, furniture making, metal casting, manufacture of machines and equipment, including for the automotive industry, processing of meat products and vegetable oils, etc.), public administration (3 480 vacancies or 18.7%), education (1 652 or 8.9%), retail and repair of cars and household appliances (1 357 or 7.3%) (mostly for sales assistants, warehouse workers, advertising agents, sales representatives, electrical mechanics, technicians, workers in car repair shops, etc.); agriculture, forestry and fisheries (1 030 or 5.5%); hotel and restaurant management (854 vacancies or 4.6%), construction (847 or 4.5%), administrative and support services (640 or 3.4%), healthcare (482 or 2.6%), transport and communications (231 or 1.2%), etc.
There were 1 030 (5.5%) vacancies in agriculture, with the highest demand being for farm workers, tractor drivers, combine harvester drivers, field crop growers, landscape gardeners, etc.
Vacancies advertised in the construction sector decreased by 6.8% compared to 2020. During the period under consideration, the total number of vacancies advertised in construction in this region stood at 847 or 4.5% of all available vacancies, with the highest demand being for concrete finishers, welders, painters, steel fixers, bricklayers, carpenters, tile setters, plumbers, etc. In 2021 their share decreased by 0.4 percentage points compared to 2020, being 4.5% of all vacancies advertised on the primary labour market.
The majority of vacancies which employers sought to fill through job centres in the region were for low-skilled labour – 12 809 or 68.7% of all vacancies advertised. This trend was consistent with the profile of the majority of the registered unemployed in the region. Compared to 2020, the number of such vacancies increased by 655, along with an increase in their relative share by 3.8 ppt.
As regards vacancies for specialists, engineering and technical specialists, professionals in the sectors of transport and services, economists, doctors and educators were most sought after.
Along with the increase in the registered unemployment rate in the labour market, the North West Region continued to experience a shortage of highly skilled personnel: ICT engineers and specialists, managers fluent in foreign languages, education professionals, computer science and information technology teachers, medical doctors and nurses, as well as specialists and workers in some of the leading sectors of the regional economy.
The post-redundancy distribution of registered unemployed persons across economic sectors (according to Employment Agency data) was as follows: the services sector accounted for the largest share of job losses (49.7% or 19 739 jobs), out of which 39.5% (7 796) in public administration and defence, 24.7% (4 869) in the retail and repair of cars and household appliances, and 8.4% (1 652) in hotel and restaurant management.
The second largest number of job losses were reported in the industrial sector – 21.4% (8 495), out of which 75.2% (6 390) in the processing industry and 19.6% (1 666) in construction.
Agriculture continued to account for the lowest number of job losses, standing at 5.0% (1 967 persons), all of them in the farming sector. Compared to 2020, their number increased by 0.8 ppt but decreased in absolute terms by 168 persons.
In terms of occupational structure, in 2021 the largest category of persons registered as unemployed with job centres in the North West Region remained the group without any qualifications or specialisation – 56.8% (18 135), followed by blue-collar workers – 27.2% (8 682) and specialists – 16.0% (5 096). Among specialists, the highest share of unemployed were engineering and technical specialists (approximately 35.9%), followed by economists (31.1%), specialists in the sectors of services, transport and security (10.4%) and agriculture (8.7%).
In terms of education, 46.4% (14 813) of the persons registered as unemployed with job centres in the North West Region during this period had secondary education, marking a decrease by 0.9 percentage points. The share of registered unemployed with higher education was 7.1% (2 257 persons), which represents a decrease by 0.6 percentage points. An increase (by 1.4 percentage points) in the share of registered unemployed persons with lower secondary education or lower was observed. This group consisted of 14 842 persons, or 46.5% of the total number of registered unemployed.
Information sources: Administrative statistics of the Employment Agency (national database), profiles of the planning regions (available on the website of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works); National Statistical Institute (NSI).
In Q4 2021, the South East Region ranked third in Bulgaria in terms of employment rate among persons aged 15 years and over. Compared to the same period in 2020, a decrease in the number of employed persons was registered in the provinces of Sliven and Stara Zagora and an increase in Yambol and Burgas.
In Q4 2021, the employment rate increased by 1.0 ppt compared to the same period of 2020, reaching 51.6% against a national rate of 52.6%. In keeping with the trend from previous periods, the employment rate was higher among men (59.5%) than women (44.4%). Compared to the same quarter of 2020, however, it increased by 0.5 and 1.5 percentage points for men and women respectively.
According to data on labour market developments in the constituent provinces (Burgas, Sliven, Yambol and Stara Zagora), the employment rate increased by 1.6, 0.4 and 4.3 ppt respectively in the first three and decreased by 0.7 ppt in the latter.
Territory: the South East Region comprises the administrative provinces of Burgas, Sliven, Stara Zagora and Yambol. Its total area is 19 794 square kilometres, or 17.8% of the territory of Bulgaria.
According to NSI data, as at 31 December 2020 the population of the South East Region stood at 1 020 187 people (14.7% of Bulgaria’s total population), spread across 33 municipalities. Women account for 51.6% of the population, and men for 48.4%. Burgas has the largest population size of the four provinces in the region – 40.2% or 409 750 people, followed by the provinces of Stara Zagora (30.5% or 311 400 people), Sliven (17.9% or 182 551 people), and Yambol (11.4% or 116 486 people). In all four provinces, women outnumbered men, their share being 51.8% in Burgas, 51.7% in Stara Zagora, 51.5% in Sliven and 51.1% in Yambol. The urban population accounted for 71.3% of the region’s total population. Its share by province was as follows: 76.0% in Burgas, 69.6% in Stara Zagora, 68.8% in Yambol and 65.2% in Sliven. Compared to the end of 2019, the population of the South East Region decreased by 3 928 people, whereby it increased by 485 people in the province of Burgas, and decreased by 1 996 in the province of Stara Zagora, by 1 568 in the province of Sliven and by 849 in the province of Yambol.
In 2021, the average number of unemployed persons registered with job centres in the South East Region was 24 810. The largest number of unemployed was in the province of Burgas – 8 830, followed by the provinces of Sliven, Stara Zagora, and Yambol with 6 571, 6 560 and 2 849, respectively. The average registered unemployment rate for 2021 in the South East Region stood at 5.3% compared to the national average of 5.5%. This rate remained lower than the national (and regional) average in the provinces of Burgas (4.7%), Stara Zagora (4.4%) and Yambol (5.1%), while it was higher in Sliven (8.4%).
In 2021, employers in the region once again sought predominantly professionals in the sector of tourism: room cleaning staff, waiting and bar staff, chefs, hotel administrators, sales consultants, as well as workers in various industries and the services sector, general workers, machine operators, teachers, seasonal workers in agriculture and the canning industry, drivers of various vehicles, security guards, cleaning staff.
According to Employment Agency data, a total of 27 339 vacancies were advertised in the real economy in the South East Region in 2021. The greatest number of vacancies opened in the processing industries (the canning industry, food, tobacco product and beverage production, the textile and clothing industries, etc.) – 6 187, hotel and restaurant management (mainly for room cleaning staff, chefs, waiting and bar staff, hotel administrators, cleaning staff) – 6 455, retail and wholesale (sales assistants, sales representatives, general workers, etc.) – 2 372, administrative and support services – 1 235, transport, warehousing and postal services – 1 275, education – 2 547, construction – 1 038, public administration – 2 556, as well as healthcare and social work – 933 jobs.
There were 664 vacancies in agriculture, the highest demand being for seasonal forestry workers, operators of specialised agricultural equipment, farm workers, etc.
The majority of vacancies advertised by employers for the real economy through job centres in the region were for low-skilled or unskilled labour – 70.9% Out of these, secondary education was required for 60.0% of the vacancies advertised and lower secondary education or lower for 40.0% of the available jobs.
As regards vacancies for specialists, most were in the fields of education, the service, transport, security and healthcare sectors, while demand was the lowest in the sector of agriculture.
The labour market in the South East Region continued to experience a shortage of skilled personnel, including ICT engineers, construction professionals, managers fluent in foreign languages, education and healthcare professionals, drivers, crane operators, excavator operators, welders, tailors, as well as specialists and workers in some of the leading sectors of the regional economy, particularly in hotel and restaurant management and their support operations.
The post-redundancy distribution of the 42 656 persons newly registered as unemployed in 2021 across economic sectors (according to statistical data of the Employment Agency) was as follows: the largest share of job losses was generated in the services sector (19 599 people or 45.95%). The largest groups based on their last place of employment were engaged in retail and wholesale (5 585), hotel and restaurant management (3 582), public administration (3 784), transport, warehousing and postal services (1 222), healthcare and social work (1 040) and administrative and support services (1 207). The smallest number of redundancies (233) was registered in the sector of information and creative work production and distribution, and telecommunications.
The industrial sector generated the second largest number of redundancies (9 819 or 23.0%), with most of the redundancies being in the processing industry (7 437) and construction (1 918), and the fewest in the mining industry (61).
Another large group of newly registered unemployed, totalling 11 673 people (27.4%), did not specify a sector. Those are people who either did not work before registering with a job centre or did not indicate their previous place of employment. It also includes workers previously employed abroad and a large proportion of inactive persons.
Agriculture had the lowest number and share of redundancies, with 1 565 registered unemployed (3.7%).
In terms of occupational structure, in 2021 the largest category of persons registered as unemployed remained the group without any qualifications or specialisation – monthly average of 60.1% (14 906), followed by blue-collar workers (19.1% or 4 731) and specialists (20.8% or 5 173). Among the latter, engineers and other technical experts formed the highest share of those unemployed, followed by economists and lawyers.
In terms of education, the majority of unemployed persons registered with job centres in the South East Region in 2021 had secondary education (45.5%). These were followed by persons with elementary education or lower (24.2%) and higher education (16.6%), with the share of unemployed persons with lower secondary education being the lowest (13.8%). The aggregate group of persons with a low level of education (lower secondary, elementary or lower) accounted for 48.3% of all unemployed. This is a group experiencing serious difficulties in finding employment. Compared to the average rates in 2020, the share of registered unemployed persons with higher education increased by 0.1 percentage points and that of persons with lower secondary education increased by 1.4 percentage points. The share of persons with elementary education or lower and of those with secondary education decreased by 0.1 and 1.8 percentage points respectively.
Information sources:Administrative statistics of the Employment Agency, profiles of planning regions (available on the website of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works); National Statistical Institute (NSI), Institute for Market Economics
Territory: the South West Region comprises the administrative provinces of Sofia, Greater Sofia, Pernik, Blagoevgrad and Kyustendil. It has an area of 20 306.4 square kilometres or 18.3% of Bulgaria’s territory. A special feature of this region is that it includes Bulgaria’s capital Sofia, as a separate province, and the only Bulgarian province without an independent administrative centre (Greater Sofia).
The population of the South West Region was 2 132 848 people (28.96% of Bulgaria’s total population) spread across 52 municipalities that comprised 953 settlements (47 towns and cities and 905 villages) as at 1 February 2011 according to official NSI data based on the 2011 census. Women accounted for 51.8% of the population and men for 48.2%. More than half of the region’s population (60.5%) lived in Sofia (1 291 591 people or 17.5% of Bulgaria's population).
At the end of 2021, the number of employed persons in the South West planning region stood at 980 000. This represents an increase by 127 200 people compared to the end of 2020.
Unlike 2020, in 2021 there was an increase in employment in the region. Without doubt, the main reason is the opening up of many businesses in various sectors of the economy. Efforts are currently focused on maintaining a stable employment rate using various tools.
The average monthly number of unemployed persons registered with job centres in the South West Region stood at 40 413, 56.0% of whom were women and 44.0% were men. The highest average monthly number of unemployed in absolute terms was recorded in the province of Blagoevgrad (13 781), followed by the province of Sofia City (13 344), Greater Sofia (60 509), the province of Kyustendil (4 424) and the province of Pernik (2 813). In 2021, the average monthly unemployment rate in the South West Region stood at 3.87% compared to the national average of 5.53%. The unemployment rate was the lowest in the provinces of Sofia City (2.01%) and Pernik (4.62%), while exceeding the national average in the other three provinces: 5.54 % in Greater Sofia, 7.8% in the province of Kyustendil and the highest – 9.10% in the province of Blagoevgrad.
The South West Region holds a leading position in terms of its share in the country's gross domestic product (GDP). As at 31 December 2021, the rate of economic activity in the 15-64 age group stood at 76.4% (the highest in the country). The region ranks first in terms of investment growth compared to the same period of the previous year, as well as newly created jobs (4 651). Sofia City continued to be among the leading industrial locations in Bulgaria, ranking first in the processing industry. Some of the companies based in the capital are among the largest manufacturers of pharmaceuticals (Sopharma AD) and electrical equipment (Hyundai Heavy Industries AD) and providers of machinery repair and installation services (Terem EAD Sofia). The headquarters of all major retail chains in the country, such as Lidl, Billa, Kaufland, Technopolis and Praktiker, are located in Sofia. Micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises account for 70% of Sofia’s industrial output and trends in the last few years indicate that this proportion is likely to increase in the near future. Nearly two-thirds of jobs in the capital city are created by small and medium-sized enterprises. However, large companies are gradually increasing their share in job creation.
Greater Sofia and the province of Blagoevgrad also boast fast-developing industrial sectors. Information and communication technology remains one of the most dynamic sectors in the service industry. An increase in employment rate was also observed in the financial sector, in intermediary services and business process outsourcing, with Sofia remaining the region with the highest concentration of successful companies in the services sector.
In 2021, the highest demand for labour in the region was reported for the following economic activities: the processing industry, retail and repair of cars and motorcycles, and administrative and support services. Demand for labour decreased in the processing industry. Conversely, it increased in the other two economic activities compared to 2020. In terms of occupation classes, increase in demand was reported for specialists and occupations entailing vocational education, while there was a decrease in occupations requiring no specialisation.
Occupations most sought after by employers in the region in 2021 were teachers, engineers, programmers, drivers, nurses, machine operators and fitters, sales assistants, office secretaries.
According to Employment Agency data, in 2021 a total of 52 647 vacancies were advertised in the South West Region, most of which (39 005) were in the services sector, as follows: 8 688 in retail and repair of cars and motorcycles (mostly for sales assistants, warehouse workers, advertising agents, sales representatives, electrical mechanics, technicians, workers in car repair shops, etc.); 1 366 in transport, warehousing and postal services; 1 843 in information and creative work production and distribution, and telecommunications; 3 275 in professional services and research; 3 442 in finance and insurance; 613 in real estate operations; 7 876 in administrative and support services; 2 381 in public administration; 5 902 in hotel and restaurant management (bar and waiting staff, room cleaning staff); 2 404 in education (teachers, educators, assistant teachers, kindergarten teachers); 928 in human healthcare and social work, 287 in culture, sports and entertainment, etc. The industry sector advertised a total of 12 354 vacancies, the majority of which in the processing industry (food, tobacco product and beverage production, textiles and clothing, etc.) – 9 447. Demand for labour in the construction sector remained low in the region, with 2 377 vacancies advertised in 2021, mainly for blue-collar workers needed to carry out repairs. (Painters, carpenters, tile setters, plumbers, etc. were in demand.)
Compared to other sectors, the lowest number of jobs in 2021 were created in agriculture – 641, mostly for farm workers and forestry workers, mechanisation specialists, etc.
The majority of vacancies that employers sought to fill through job centres in the region were for low-skilled labour, which largely matches the characteristics and structure of the unemployed registered with job centres outside the capital city. In 2021, there were 40 628 vacancies (77.2% of all new jobs) suitable for persons without any qualifications or specialisation.
Despite the high number of registered unemployed on the labour market, the South West Region continues to experience a shortage of skilled personnel, particularly engineers and technical experts in the field of information technology and telecommunications, mechanical engineering, logistics, etc.; managers fluent in foreign languages; specialists and workers in hotel and restaurant management (also proficient in two foreign languages, specialised in spa therapy, chefs specialising in international cuisine, etc.); teachers in the field of education; blue-collar workers with occupations such as turners, milling and grinding machine operators, workers in the clothing, footwear and carpentry industry, as well as in other leading sectors of the local economy. Since the beginning of 2021, 6 148 vacancies for specialists and 5 871 vacancies for blue-collar workers have been advertised.
The post-redundancy distribution of the registered unemployed persons across economic sectors in 2021 (according to Employment Agency data) is as follows: the services sector accounted for the largest share of job losses – 28 914, out of which 7 992 (27.6%) in retail and repair of cars and motorcycles; 4 535 in public administration; 4 592 in human healthcare and social work; 978 in real estate operations; 2 680 in hotel and restaurant management, etc. The second largest share of job losses was generated by the industry – 12 392, out of which 9 017 in the processing industry and 2 459 in construction. The lowest number of redundancies (1 806) once again was registered in agriculture, almost all in the farming sector.
In terms of occupational structure, in 2021 the largest category of persons registered as unemployed with job centres in the South West Region remained the group without any qualifications or specialisation (28 341), followed by specialists (23 353) and blue-collar workers (14 005). The group of unemployed specialists was dominated by economists, engineers and other technical specialists, followed by persons with professional experience in the sectors of services, transport and security, specialists in the spheres of machines and technology, etc.
In terms of educational structure, in 2021 the majority of unemployed persons registered with job centres in the South West Region had secondary education (34 723), including 21 774 (62.7%) persons with secondary vocational education, followed by university graduates (15 038). The number of persons with elementary education or lower was 6 676, and those with lower secondary education were 9 262.
An upward trend was observed in the number of skilled professionals and managers, staff with technical skills and economists employed. At the same time, there was a drop in the employment rate of persons with a lower level of education in industry and in public administration and administrative services. A significant drop in the number of persons employed in the service and transport sectors was registered.
Education and qualification remain the major drivers in the ability of workers to find jobs.
Information sources: Administrative statistics of the Employment Agency, profiles of the planning regions (available on the website of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works); National Statistical Institute (NSI).
Positive trends in the development of the economy of the South Central Region in the last months of 2020, which led to the stabilisation of the labour market after the state of emergency, fostered a quick rise in employment and reduced unemployment in 2021. During the period under consideration, differences in economic development and labour markets persisted between provinces and municipalities in the different regions.
Territory: the South Central Region comprises the administrative provinces of Plovdiv, Pazardzhik, Smolyan, Haskovo and Kardzhali. Its total area is 22 365 square kilometres, which equates to 20.1 % of Bulgaria’s territory.
The population of the South Central Region (according to National Statistical Institute data as at 1 February 2011) is 1 203 825 people spread across 58 municipalities, comprising 54 towns and cities and 1 251 villages. Women had a share of 51.4% of the population and men had a share of 48.6%.
The average monthly number of unemployed persons registered with job centres in the South Central Region in 2021 was 38 371. The highest number was recorded in the province of Plovdiv – 14 071, followed by the provinces of Pazardzhik (8 380), Haskovo (5 914), Smolyan (5 035) and Kardzhali (4 971). The average unemployment rate in the South Central Region in 2021 stood at 5,98% compared to the national average of 5.6%. The unemployment rate was lower than the national average only in the province of Plovdiv (4.65%). In the remaining provinces, the unemployment rate was as follows: 8.62% in the province of Smolyan; 8.18% in the province of Kardzhali, 7.27% in the province of Pazardzhik and 5.66% in the province of Haskovo.
In 2021, the jobs most in demand by employers included: tailors, sales assistants, metalworkers, welders, fitters, turners, furniture makers, drivers, workers in the processing industry and in agriculture, forestry and construction, etc. In terms of specialists, there was a predominant demand for engineering and technical specialists (in various fields), as well as business and administrative specialists and specialists in transport and services, economists and educators.
In parallel with the decrease in registered unemployment, the South Central Region continued to experience a shortage of skilled personnel, particularly in mechanical engineering, in the field of education, specialists and workers in the services and technology sectors.
According to Employment Agency data, in 2021 the largest number of vacancies in the South Central Region were advertised in the processing industry (clothing and textiles, food and beverages, tobacco, etc.) – 12 967; a total of 2 898 jobs were advertised in the field of retail and repair of cars and household appliances (mostly for sales assistants, warehouse workers, advertising agents, sales representatives, electrical mechanics, technicians, workers in car repair shops, etc.). There were 2 545 vacancies in the sector of administrative and support services; 2 465 vacancies in the sector of education (for teachers, educators, assistant teachers, kindergarten teachers, etc.); and 2 951 vacancies in the sector of hotel and restaurant management (for room cleaning staff, waiting and bar staff).
1 533 vacancies were opened in agriculture, mostly for farm workers, vegetable growers, forestry workers, etc.
With the decline in the construction sector reversed, the demand for labour in this field rose, and 1 567 vacancies were advertised, mostly for welders, bricklayers, carpenters, tile setters, plumbers, etc.
The vacancies that employers sought to fill through job centres in the region were mostly for low-skilled workers (74.6%), which largely matches the profile of registered unemployed persons in the region.
The post-redundancy distribution of registered unemployed persons across economic sectors in the South Central Region (according to statistical data of the Employment Agency in 2021) was as follows: the services sector accounted for the largest share of job losses, with a total of 26 484 redundancies, out of which 2 610 in hotel and restaurant management and 7 481 in retail and repairs. The second largest generator of job losses was the industry, with 13 981 redundancies, including 11 215 in the processing industry and 2 114 in construction.
Agriculture continued to account for the lowest number of job losses, standing at 1 829, almost all of them in the farming sector.
In terms of occupational structure, in 2021 the largest category of persons registered as unemployed remained the group without any qualifications or specialisation – 56.6%, followed by blue-collar workers – 20.1%, and specialists – 23.3%. After the economic crisis in 2020, which affected the entire country, certain changes in the occupational structure of registered unemployment were observed. During the period under consideration, the share of unemployed people without any qualifications increased, as opposed to the share of specialists and blue-collar workers.
In terms of education, at the end of 2021 45% of the registered unemployed persons in the South Central Region had lower secondary education or lower, 43.3% had secondary education and 11.7% had higher education.
Information sources: Administrative statistics of the Employment Agency, profiles of the planning regions (available on the website of the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works); National Statistical Institute (NSI).