Bulgaria's labor market cools as job competition spikes and vacancies rise

After several years of rapid hiring, Bulgaria’s labour market is showing clear signs of cooling. Companies are becoming more cautious, freezing wages and reducing hiring, while competition for open positions intensifies. Bio‑cosmetics brand director Silviya Pavlova told Bloomberg that a single vacancy attracted around 1,400 applications, a stark contrast to the 20‑30 applications that were once considered strong.

Data from the Employment Agency, Jobs.bg and the National Statistical Institute show free job postings increasing from about 18,000 in early 2025 to over 24,000 in 2026, but new job listings have dropped 15‑20% from their 2022 peak. The slowdown is most evident in the IT sector, where firms are cutting staff and limiting salary growth, creating financial strain for workers, especially those returning after long absences and recent graduates. Regional growth in vacancies is modest, with the fastest rises in Blagoevgrad, Pleven and Smolyan, away from the main economic centres.