Bulgarian labor market shows cooling trend with 9.5% drop in job vacancies

Bulgaria's labor market is experiencing a cooling trend, with job vacancies in September falling by 9.5% compared to the previous year. This decline represents approximately 3,600 fewer available positions. According to analysis from the career website Job Tiger, while there was a slight monthly recovery in August and September, the annual figures show a sustained downward trend following drops in June and July.

Several factors are contributing to this slowdown, including economic stagnation in Germany—a key trading partner—rising fuel costs for companies, and uncertainty surrounding regional conflicts. While the impact of artificial intelligence is currently limited to IT, administration, and outsourcing, it remains a noted factor. Sector-specific declines were observed in hospitality, manufacturing, accounting, and the IT sector, though retail, marketing, and human resources saw slight monthly increases.

The Bulgarian Ministry of Finance expects nominal wage growth to slow to 8.5% in 2026. Despite the reduction in job postings, the unemployment rate remains very low, sitting below 4%. Experts from the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry note that while the market is cooling, a labor shortage persists, leading some employers to hire workers from third countries.