Unemployment in Bulgaria saw a slight uptick in January, with the registered rate climbing by 0.2% compared to December figures. According to data from the Employment Agency, the unemployment rate now stands at 5.8%.

The agency revealed that nearly 169,000 individuals were registered in labor offices across the country in January, reflecting an increase of 7,630 people compared to the previous month. Of these, approximately 27,000 individuals became newly unemployed, while 11,300 people secured employment during the same period.

Interestingly, the number of announced job vacancies doubled in January compared to December, totaling 10,000 openings. Notably, nearly 30% of these vacancies were in the processing industry.

Among the most in-demand occupations in the business sector are machine operators, cleaners and helpers, care staff, and mining workers.