Unemployment rate in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Unemployment rate was 8.96 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate in Bulgaria, 2014–2025
Source: International Labour Organization.
Analysis
The most recent figure for unemployment rate in Bulgaria is 8.96, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 12 years on record.
The figure is down 8.0% on the previous year and down 52.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Bulgaria peaked at 19.32 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 8.96, in 2025.
That places Bulgaria 13th out of 41 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 12 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 19.32 | — |
| 2015 | 18.7 | -3.2% |
| 2016 | 17.51 | -6.4% |
| 2017 | 15.48 | -11.6% |
| 2018 | 13.51 | -12.8% |
| 2019 | 12.21 | -9.6% |
| 2020 | 12.91 | +5.7% |
| 2021 | 12.86 | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 11.92 | -7.3% |
| 2023 | 10.33 | -13.3% |
| 2024 | 9.74 | -5.7% |
| 2025 | 8.96 | -8.0% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 8.96 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 6.93, 1.3× the median. (31 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 8.96 is above the median for high income countries, which is 6.33, 1.4× the median. (32 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 16.12 | 12.21 | 19.32 | 6 |
| 2020s | 11.12 | 8.96 | 12.91 | 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 unemployment rate in Bulgaria?
- Unemployment rate in Bulgaria was 8.96 in 2025, according to International Labour Organization.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 19.32 in 2014.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 8.96 in 2025.
- How does Bulgaria rank for unemployment rate?
- Bulgaria ranks 13th out of 41 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 52.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Unemployment rate (current ILO definition - ICLS19). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under ILO Terms of Use (attribution required).
About this data
With the aim of promoting international comparability, statistics presented on ILOSTAT are based on standard international definitions wherever feasible and may differ from official national figures. This series includes only countries for which the 19th ICLS definitions are applied. The unemployment rate conveys the number of persons who are unemployed as a percent of the labour force (i.e., the employed plus the unemployed). The unemployed comprise all persons of working age who were: a) without work during the reference period, i.e. were not in paid employment or self-employment; b) currently available for work, i.e. were available for paid employment or self-employment during the reference period; and c) seeking work, i.e. had taken specific steps in a specified recent period to seek paid employment or self-employment. For more information, refer to the Work Statistics -- 19th ICLS (WORK) database description.