Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 6.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Bulgaria, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Bulgaria stood at 6.9%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.1% on the previous year and down 5.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Bulgaria peaked at 11.2% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 6.5%, in 2020.
Bulgaria ranks 168th of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10.9% | 10.7% | 11.1% | 9 |
| 2000s | 9.5% | 7.7% | 11.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.2% | 6.9% | 7.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.9% | 6.5% | 7.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More work & labour data for Bulgaria
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 56.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 62.4% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 80.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 50.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 73.2% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 76.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 69.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers in vulnerable employment in Bulgaria?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Bulgaria was 6.9% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 11.2% in 2000.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.5% in 2020.
- How does Bulgaria rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Bulgaria ranks 168th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of workers in vulnerable employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of employed population who are working as independent own-account workers (self-employed without staff), or contributing family workers (self-employed in a household business or farm).