In July, Bulgaria saw a slight decrease in unemployment, with the rate dropping to 5.4%, according to a report from the Employment Agency (EA). This figure represents a reduction from the previous month's rate of 5.3%, when 150,990 people were unemployed. By the end of July, the total number of unemployed individuals had risen to 152,844.

During the month, 14,542 people found employment. Additionally, 339 pensioners, students, and those already employed also secured new positions with assistance from the labor offices. Efforts by Roma and youth mediators, along with labor mediators, led to the activation of over 5,150 previously inactive individuals in the job market, marking an 18% increase from the previous month.

The number of job vacancies reported in the labor offices rose to 8,805 in July. The sectors with the most job openings were manufacturing, education, state administration, trade, and administrative and auxiliary activities. Notably, the hospitality and catering sector also had a presence with 5.2% of job vacancies.

Among the new jobs created, 4,669 were for individuals from risk groups, with 3,817 of these positions funded by state budget employment programs. The remaining 852 were created under projects financed by the Human Resources Development Program 2021-2027, which is co-funded by the European Social Fund Plus. In July, more than 12,500 training vouchers were distributed to both employed and unemployed individuals.

The most sought-after occupations in July included teaching staff, human care workers, mining and manufacturing personnel, construction and transport workers, salespersons, machine operators, waste collection workers, personal service staff, drivers, cleaners, and skilled workers in various production fields.

The unemployment rate in June was recorded at 5.3%, a slight decrease of 0.1 percentage points from May, when there were 150,990 registered unemployed individuals.