Bulgaria's Unemployment Rates Increase by 5.4% in 2013 - Survey

The number of unemployed in Bulgaria for Q4 of 2013 is 439.8 thousand people, with unemployment rates of 13%, according to official data.

In comparison with Q4 of 2012, the number of unemployed was by 5.4% higher and the unemployment rate rose by 0.6%, according to Bulgaria's National Statistical Institute (NSI) Main Labor Force Survey results for Q4 of 2013.

An increase of unemployment over the period concerned was observed for both men and women. The unemployment rate increased by 0.6% for men and by 0.8% for women, reaching 3.8% and 12.2% respectively.

Among all unemployed 13.9% had completed tertiary level of education, 56.0% had upper secondary education level and 30.0% were with lower secondary or lower education level.

Long-term unemployed (for one year or more) were 263.7 thousand, accounting for 60.0% of all unemployed, and that proportion went up by 4.9% as compared to the Q4 of 2012.

The long-term unemployment rate was 7.8%, being1.0% higher for men compared to women (8.3% and7.3% respectively).

The number of unemployed having previous work experience increased over the last year to 371.8thousand (84.5% of all unemployed) in the fourth quarter of 2013, compared to 347.7thousand (83.3%) in the same quarter of 2012.

No significant change was observed for the unemployed looking without any professional experience. In the fourth quarter of 2013 the unemployment rate for the age group 15-29 was 22.2% (22.8% for men and 21.5% for women). That rate was by 1.5% higher than in Q4 of 2012, equally affecting both men and women.

The total number of employed persons aged 15 years and over was 2931.6 thousand in Q4 2013 and compared to the same quarter of 2012 it has decreased by 20.2 thousand, the NSI announced.

Employed persons who attained tertiary education were 902.7 thousand, representing 30.8% of all in employment,1729.8 thousand (59.0%) completed upper secondary education and 299.1 thousand (10.2%) had lower secondary education or less.

Of the total number of working population 4.3% (125.3 thousand) were employers,7.8% (229.8 thousand) were workers (without employees), 87.2% (2 557.6 thousand) were employees and 0.6% (18.9 thousand) were unpaid family workers.

Employed persons aged 15-64 were 2 880.2 thousand. The employment rate for this age group was 59.6%, 62.5% and 56.6% for men and women respectively.

The employment rate for age group 15-29 was 36.4%, 41.0% for men and 31.4% for women.The employment rate for age group 20-64 was 63.6%, by 0.2% higher than in the same quarter of 2012. This rate was 66.8% for men and 60.4% for women.

Employed aged 55-64 were 493.8 thousand, representing 48.0% of population in the same age group. In comparison with the fourth quarter of 2012 the employment rate (55-64 years) rose by 1.9%, by 1.6% for men and by 2.1% for women.

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