Bulgaria faces high inactivity among early school leavers

Data for 2025 indicates that over 60% of early school leavers in Bulgaria are neither working nor seeking employment, placing the country last in the European Union for this metric. While the national unemployment rate stood at 3.5% in the second quarter of 2026, employment and economic activity rates have declined by 0.5 percentage points annually as individuals fall outside the active labor force.

Education levels significantly impact employment prospects; unemployment is 1.4% for university graduates but rises to 13.5% for those with only primary or lower education. Additionally, 14% of Bulgarians aged 15 to 29 are not in employment, education, or training, the second-highest rate in the EU.

Economist Lyuboslav Kostov has highlighted the qualitative challenges facing the workforce, particularly those aged 30 to 40. He noted that many professionals face burnout and high opportunity costs, often working long hours to meet basic living expenses. Kostov emphasized that true economic well-being should include quality of life, job security, and the ability to disconnect from work, rather than just employment and salary levels.