Unemployment among people aged over 50 stands at nearly 2.8%, below the national average, with this age group playing an active role in the labour market. They are in demand among employers and play a key role in improving the economic climate, Deputy Labour and Social Policy Minister Liliya Stoyanovich said on Monday at the Young Talents 50+ forum.
Women account for 60% of participants in labour market measures monitored nationally by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Stoyanovich also said. According to her, this demonstrates that women in Bulgaria are highly empowered and active, and that women are by no means the “weaker sex”. “On the contrary, women in Bulgaria are driving a large part of the economy forward,” Stoyanovich said. She noted that women accounted for 66% of the 104,000 people who had completed digital skills training over the past two to three years.
Workers recognise the need to upgrade their qualifications as the labour market undergoes rapid change under the influence of information and communications technology, she said. “The data show that, as early as 2021, 90% of jobs required digital skills, with 70% requiring an intermediate or advanced level of proficiency,” Stoyanovich said, adding that building on basic digital skills was of paramount importance.
She noted that, with funding from the national budget and EU financing under the Human Resources Development Programme, anyone wishing to improve their qualifications, whether employed or unemployed, could do so entirely free of charge.
“The aim is for people to build on their skills, become more competitive in the eyes of employers and retain their jobs. It is important not simply to remain in the same job by default, but to stay active and adaptable over the long term,” she said.
The Deputy Minister also highlighted the importance of work-life balance. She said that, in cities facing a shortage of childcare places, a scheme was being implemented to recruit childminders from among unemployed people.
“This is how we support young families and help parents return to the labour market more quickly,” Stoyanovich said.
She noted that starting afresh in employment could be more difficult for people aged over 50. For this reason, the emphasis was on further training and acquiring new skills.
“From personal experience, I can say that, at this age, the responsibilities associated with raising children have largely passed. Employers appreciate this because these employees do not take long periods of maternity leave or leave to care for sick children. They are extremely loyal, adaptable and active within the workplace,” she said.
Stoyanovich also recalled comments by International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, who said that 60% of jobs worldwide would be affected or transformed by artificial intelligence.
“For countries in transition such as ours, this means that the wave will arrive a little later, but the technological tsunami will inevitably reach us. Now is the time, while effective and free mechanisms are available, to make use of them,” Stoyanovich said.
She added that, in view of Bulgaria’s adverse demographic trends, the second main focus of the programmes was to encourage Bulgarian nationals who had spent years working or studying abroad to return to the country. The focus was on smaller towns and settlements with populations of fewer than 50,000, where businesses face an acute shortage of workers.
The first component of the Choose Bulgaria programme was launched in July 2025 and has already helped bring Bulgarian nationals back to the country, she said.
The next step would focus on internal migration, encouraging people living in large cities to relocate and take up jobs in settlements with populations of fewer than 50,000. Specific incentives were planned, including relocation assistance and partial reimbursement of housing rental costs.
“We are seeking to support the labour market through various measures, retain the population and address labour shortages. To avoid having to rely on a large-scale influx of workers from non-EU countries, we need to mobilise all the resources available within Bulgaria. This includes more than 100,000 inactive young people who are currently neither in education nor employment and whom we need to motivate to return to the labour market,” Stoyanovich added.
Earlier on Monday, Labour and Social Policy Minister Natalia Efremova said at the Young Talents 50+ forum that the government recognised the clear potential of people aged over 50 and was firmly committed to supporting them in the labour market.
Andriana Sukova, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, said that by 2050 the European labour market would face major challenges stemming from a shrinking workforce, which is expected to decline by around one million people each year.
Unemployment Among Over-50s Stands at Nearly 2.8%, Deputy Minister Says THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-10-12 12:10:30
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