Employment in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Employment was 3,111 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment in Bulgaria, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment in Bulgaria is 3,111, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 2.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment in Bulgaria peaked at 3,382 in 2008 and was at its lowest, 2,770, in 2001.
That places Bulgaria 105th out of 188 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 3,108 | — |
| 1992 | 2,929 | -5.7% |
| 1993 | 2,868 | -2.1% |
| 1994 | 2,984 | +4.0% |
| 1995 | 3,029 | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 2,961 | -2.2% |
| 1997 | 2,944 | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 2,970 | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 2,919 | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 2,823 | -3.3% |
| 2001 | 2,770 | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 2,796 | +0.9% |
| 2003 | 2,892 | +3.4% |
| 2004 | 2,985 | +3.2% |
| 2005 | 2,994 | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 3,131 | +4.6% |
| 2007 | 3,278 | +4.7% |
| 2008 | 3,382 | +3.2% |
| 2009 | 3,270 | -3.3% |
| 2010 | 3,090 | -5.5% |
| 2011 | 2,976 | -3.7% |
| 2012 | 2,951 | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 2,945 | -0.2% |
| 2014 | 2,976 | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 3,043 | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 3,019 | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 3,157 | +4.6% |
| 2018 | 3,157 | -0.0% |
| 2019 | 3,243 | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 3,148 | -2.9% |
| 2021 | 3,089 | -1.9% |
| 2022 | 3,172 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | 3,162 | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 3,116 | -1.4% |
| 2025 | 3,111 | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2,968 | 2,868 | 3,108 | 9 |
| 2000s | 3,032 | 2,770 | 3,382 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3,056 | 2,945 | 3,243 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,133 | 3,089 | 3,172 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More work & labour data for Bulgaria
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.7248 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.7055 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.7441 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.5 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate -0.5166 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 4,606 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 817.52 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 1,761 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 1,770 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 3,531 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment in Bulgaria?
- Employment in Bulgaria was 3,111 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest employment recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 3,382 in 2008.
- What is the lowest employment recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,770 in 2001.
- How does Bulgaria rank for employment?
- Bulgaria ranks 105th out of 188 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Employment (ILO modelled estimates). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
Imputed observations are not based on national data, are subject to high uncertainty and should not be used for country comparisons or rankings. This series is based on the 13th ICLS definitions. The employed comprise all persons of working age who, during a specified brief period, were in one of the following categories: a) paid employment (whether at work or with a job but not at work); or b) self-employment (whether at work or with an enterprise but not at work). Data disaggregated by economic activity are provided according to the latest version of the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC) available for that year. Data may have been regrouped from national classifications, which may not be strictly compatible with ISIC. For more information, refer to the ILO Modelled Estimates (ILOEST) database description.