Bulgaria’s unemployment rate continued to decrease in April, reaching 9.3%, according to official statistics.

There were 305,162 people registered with labour offices countrywide last month, the Government’s Employment Agency announced.

The figure was 0.6 percentage points lower than in March and 1.4 points below the level recorded in April 2015.

A total of 27,264 unemployed people started work last month, the Employment Agency said in a survey of the labour market.

Out of the total, 24 356 unemployed people started work on the primary market, an increase of 2,794 people compared to March. Compared to April 2015, the increase was 2,310 people.

A total of 2,908 people found jobs through government-subsidized employment programmes last month, a decrease of 3,593 persons compared to the previous month and 2,148 people less compared to April 2015.

Demand for workforce also increased last month, with 23,044 job openings announced at labour offices around the country. Most of those positions, 5658, were in hotel and restaurant services,  manufacturing (5,504) and retail trade (3,118).