According to the preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI) at the end of June 2017 the number of employees under labour contract increased by 63.4 thousand or 2.8% as compared to the end of March 2017 and reached 2.34 million.

The highest increase was observed in seasonal economic activities: ‘Accommodation and food service activities’ - 44.9%, ‘Arts, entertainment and recreation’ - 11.9% and ‘Agriculture, forestry and fishing’ - 7.3%. The highest decrease of the number of employees was recorded in ‘Education’ - by 3.0%. In the structure of employees by economic activities the biggest relative share of employees was in ‘Manufacturing’ - 21.9% and ‘Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles’ - 16.8%.

At the end of June 2017 as compared to June 2016 the number of employees under labour contract decreased by 15.9 thousand or 0.7%. The highest decrease in absolute figures was observed in economic activities ‘Agriculture, forestry and fishing’ - 9.7 thousand, ‘Accommodation and food service activities’ - 8.3 thousand and ‘Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles’ - 4.6 thousand. In percentages the highest decrease was also in ‘Agriculture, forestry and fishing’ - by 11.6% and ‘Accommodation and food service activities’ - by 5.3%.

The highest increase at the end of June 2017 as compared to June 2016 in absolute figures was registered in economic activity ‘Information and communication’ - by 4.1 thousand and in percentages - in ‘Arts, entertainment and recreation’- by 9.0%.

The average monthly wages and salaries of the employees under labour contract in April was 1 060 BGN, in May - 1 035 BGN and in June 2017 - 1 027 BGN.

In the second quarter of 2017 in comparison with the first quarter of 2017 the average monthly wages and salaries increased by 3.4% getting 1 040 BGN. The highest increase in wages and salaries was reported in ‘Financial and insurance activities’ - by 7.6%, and ‘Construction’ and ‘Mining and quarrying’ - by 7.3%.

Compared to the second quarter of 2016 the average monthly wages and salaries in the second quarter of 2017 rose by 9.9%. The highest growth rates were recorded in economic activities:

‘Real estate activities’ - 16.0%,

‘Administrative and support service activities’ - 13.4%

 ‘Professional, scientific and technical activities’ - 13.2%.

The economic activities with the highest wages and salaries in the second quarter of 2017 were:

‘Information and communication’ - 2 306 BGN

 ‘Financial and insurance activities’ - 1 815 BGN

 ‘Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply’ - 1 769 BGN. The lowest wages and salaries were recorded in:

‘Accommodation and food service activities’ - 635 BGN

 ‘Other services activities’ - 714 BGN

 ‘Construction’ - 796 BGN.

In comparison with a year earlier the average monthly wages and salaries in public sector grew by 8.1% while in private sector - by 10.6%.