Labour force participation rate in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Labour force participation rate was 55.1 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup in 2025. ▲ Rising
Labour force participation rate in Bulgaria, 2000–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup.
Analysis
The most recent figure for labour force participation rate in Bulgaria is 55.1 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% on the previous year and up 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labour force participation rate in Bulgaria peaked at 55.98 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup in 2019 and was at its lowest, 49.17 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup, in 2003.
Bulgaria ranks 30th of 33 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 50.91 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | 49.17 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | 53.8 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.11 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | 52.52 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | 55.98 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | 10 |
| 2020s | 55.21 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | 54.48 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | 55.65 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
- 27 France 57.02 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup compare
- 28 Belgium 55.95 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup compare
- 29 Costa Rica 55.13 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup compare
- 31 Greece 52.9 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup compare
- 32 Romania 51.4 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup compare
- 33 Italy 49.9 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup compare
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 labour force participation rate in Bulgaria?
- Labour force participation rate in Bulgaria was 55.1 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest labour force participation rate recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 55.98 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup in 2019.
- What is the lowest labour force participation rate recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 49.17 Percentage of working age population in the same subgroup in 2003.
- How does Bulgaria rank for labour force participation rate?
- Bulgaria ranks 30th out of 33 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labour force participation rate rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Labour force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The infra-annual dataflow on the labour force participation rate is a subset of the infra-annual labour statistics database, which contains predominantly monthly and quarterly statistics on the labour force participation rate by age groups (15+, 15-24, 25-54, 55-64, 15-64 and 15-74 where available) and sex and associated statistical methodological information and associated statistical methodological information, for the OECD member countries and for selected other economies. The labour force participation rate is calculated as the number of the labour force population as a percentage of the working age population. The infra-annual labour statistics compiled for all OECD member countries, are drawn from Labour Force Surveys based on definition provided by the 19th Conference of Labour Statisticians in 2013. The uniform application of these definitions across all OECD member countries results in estimates that are internationally comparable.