Bulgaria’s Workforce Hits 3.7 Million as Productivity Sees Modest Gains

Preliminary data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI) show that Bulgaria employed 3,726,500 people in the third quarter of 2025. Total hours worked reached 1,467.5 million, while GDP per employee rose by 0.7% in real terms compared with the same period in 2024, indicating a modest increase in overall productivity. On average, each employee generated 16,814.6 BGN (approximately 8,650 EUR) in GDP, equivalent to 42.7 BGN (about 22 EUR) per hour worked.

Gross value added (GVA) per worker also improved, growing by 1.6% year-on-year, while GVA per person-hour increased by 1.7%. Sectoral productivity shows that industry remains the most productive, with 16,629.7 BGN (around 8,550 EUR) per employee and 40.1 BGN (about 20.5 EUR) per hour. The services sector, which employs the largest share of the workforce, recorded 14,864.1 BGN (approximately 7,640 EUR) per employee and 37.9 BGN (roughly 19.5 EUR) per hour. Agriculture continues to lag significantly, producing 4,959.8 BGN (about 2,550 EUR) per worker and 13.6 BGN (around 7 EUR) per hour.

The data underline the ongoing shift in Bulgaria’s employment structure, with services gradually increasing their relative weight, while industry and agriculture shrink in proportion. Overall labor productivity is rising slightly across all sectors, with industry leading and agriculture remaining the least efficient in generating economic output.