Bulgaria has one of the shortest working lives in the EU: Men retire earliest

Bulgaria is positioned at the bottom of the European ranking for working life duration. According to the latest data, the expected working life in the country is only 34.6 years, placing it in third place after Romania and Italy. It is particularly alarming that Bulgarian men have the shortest working life in the European Union.

In contrast to Bulgaria, countries like the Netherlands and Sweden demonstrate an average working life of over 43 years. The difference is due to various institutional and cultural factors, including higher participation of women, youth, and older adults in the labor market in Northern Europe.

Problems with youth employment and education

One of the key factors for low employment in our country is the high share of youth who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET). According to Eurostat, this percentage in Bulgaria reaches 13.8%, ranking us second in the EU after Romania. While in the Netherlands a huge portion of those over 15 in education are integrated through flexible employment, this model is almost unknown in Bulgaria.

Social inequalities and regional differences

The analysis reveals serious discrepancies in employment according to education level and ethnic origin. While people with higher education have an employment rate of nearly 92%, for those with primary education it falls to below 28%. The low level of participation of minorities is also notable – employment in the Roma community is around 22%, while for Bulgarians it is 67%.

Rural areas and people with disabilities also remain extremely vulnerable. Although Bulgaria is making improvements, the employment of persons with disabilities remains significantly below EU average levels.

Early retirement and new trends

Early exit from the labor market is due not only to specific professions but also to the increasing number of disability pensions, which raises suspicions of abuse within the TLEK (Territorial Expert Medical Commission). Paradoxically, while we struggle with early retirement, Bulgaria is already showing a positive trend in another direction – nearly 17% of pensioners in our country are working, making us leaders in the Balkans in this category.

Experts emphasize that to address these problems in the long term, flexible employment, better pay, investments in the regions, and better integration of vulnerable groups into the economic process are necessary.