To support the employment of youth under 29 years of age, measures are being implemented pursuant to the Employment Promotion Act (EPA), stimulating employers to create jobs for young people. Also a  programme facilitating young people\’s transition from education to employment is being implemented. Unemployed youth can also take part in activation, as well as training and employment in the frameworks of operations, financed under “Human Resources Development” Operational Programme 2014-2020.

 

Subsidised employment under EPA

Financial resources from the state budget are provided to employers, in order to stimulate them to create jobs for young people, including those with permanent disabilities, war-disabled persons, young people from social institutions and long-term unemployed youth.

 

Employment of unemployed youth, including first job according to attained educational degree (Article 36, paragraph 1 of the EPA)

Unemployed young people under 29 years of age have the opportunity to take up employment, including first job according to attained educational degree. For each hired young person for the period of employment, but no more than 18 months, the employer will receive financial resources from the state budget: for remuneration, the size of which is determined annually in the National Action Plan for Employment, for extra remunerations  under the Labour Code, as well as for social security  contributions at the expense of the employer.

Additional information about the stimulation measure can be found at the website of the EA under: https://www.az.government.bg/pages/myarka-naemane-na-bezrabotni-mladezhi-do-29-godishna-vazrast/

 

Employment of unemployed permanently disabled young people, including war-disabled persons, as well as young people from specialised institutions or residential care services, who have completed their education (Article 36, paragraph 2 of the EPA)

Unemployed young people under 29 years of age with permanent disabilities, including war-disabled persons, as well as young people from specialised institutions or residential care services, who have completed their education have the opportunity to take up employment with an employer. For each hired young person for the period of employment, but no more than 18 months, the employer will receive financial resources from the state budget: for remuneration, the size of which is determined annually in the National Action Plan for Employment, for extra remunerations under the Labour Code, as well as for social security contributions, due by the employer.

Additional information about the stimulation measure can be found at the website of the EA under: https://www.az.government.bg/bg/trl/

 

Part-time employment of long-term unemployed young people (Article 36a of the EPA)

Unemployed young people under 29 years of age, whose registration has been maintained without interruption for not less than twelve months can take up part-time employment with an employer. For each hired young person for the period of employment, but no more than 12 months, the employer will receive financial resources from the state budget for: remuneration, the size of which is determined annually in the National Action Plan for Employment, for extra remunerations  under the Labour Code, as well as for social security contributions, due by the employer.

Additional information about the measure can be found at the website of the EA under: https://www.az.government.bg/pages/myarka-naemane-na-nepalno-rabotno-vreme-prodalzhitelno-bezrabotni-lica-do-29-godishna-vazrast/

 

 

Operations under “Human Resources Development” Operational Programme

 

“Youth employment and training” operation

The operation has a budget of BGN 115 million. The implementation of the procedure aims at integrating unemployed young people under 29 years of age including into employment with an employer by providing a subsidy for continuous employment and trainings in professional qualification and/or key competences.

As a result of the procedure implementation at least 23,000 unemployed young people are expected to receive training and/or take up employment with an employer by 2018.

Detailed information about the implementation of the operation can be found under: https://www.az.government.bg/pages/procedura-obucheniya-i-zaetost-za-mladite-hora/.

 

“Ready for work” operation

The operation has a budget of BGN 10 million. The procedure is  aimed  at activation of young people under 29 years of age incl. who are not in education, training or employment and are not registered as unemployed persons, with the aim of providing employment and ensuring employability. The operation focuses on the following actions:

  • Identifying, informing and motivating for active behaviour on the labour market of unemployed young persons under 29 years of age incl., who are not in education or training;
  • Holding \”job search ateliers/workshops\” and providing psychological assistance;
  • Referring to suitable, complied with the individual profile of the persons measures for training, education and training (provided with own resources of the Employment Agency);
  • Organising job-fairs to enable activated young people to meet employers.

As a result of the procedure at least 10,000 young persons under 29 years of age incl. are expected to be activated by 2018, with the aim of facilitating their inclusion in trainings and employment.

Detailed information about the implementation of the operation can be found under: https://www.az.government.bg/pages/gotovi-za-rabota/.

 

“Being active” operation

The operation has a budget of BGN 26 million. The main goal of the procedure is the activation and integration into employment of young people under 29 years of age incl., who are neither in employment nor in education or training,  and are not registered as unemployed persons.

The main goal of the operation is the activation and integration into employment of young people under 29 years of age incl., who are neither in employment nor in education or trainingand are not registered as unemployed persons at the EA. The procedure is aimed at identifying and motivating for active behaviour on the labour market of inactive young people, with follow-up activities for inclusion in continuous employment, training or return to education. Activities included in the procedure will help facilitate the transition from education to employment of young people  who haven’t realised on the labour market. Opportunities are also provided for participation in training, first/new job chance, as well as the acquisition of professional skills and qualifications or guidance towards return to the youth educational system.

As a result of the operation at least 8,700 young people under 29 years of age are expected to become activated by 2018 with the aim of facilitating their inclusion in trainings and employment.

Detailed information about the implementation of the operation can be found under: http://esf.bg/procedures/aktivni/.

Traineeship – performing work with the aim of acquiring skills in the attained profession or educational degree. Traineeship facilitates the transition from education to employment of young people, who have no  experience in the attained profession or educational degree.

 

National programme “Start in the career”

Young people under 29 years of age incl. who have completed higher education and have no  experience in the acquired profession can join the National Programme “Start in the  career”. Under this programme young people are hired for a period of 9 months as trainees in public administration – ministries, departments, agencies and territorial units, as well as in regional authorities and public administrations. The young people are employed on expert positions in employment relationship with remuneration, the size of which is determined annually in the National Action Plan for Employment.

 

Additional information about the programme can be found at the websites of the  Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP) and the Employment Agency (EA).

 

Traineeships for unemployed youth (Article 41 of the EPA)

Unemployed young persons under 29 years of age, who have attained, during the last preceding 24 months, qualification in an occupation or in part of an occupation required for the position occupied and have no  work experience in the said occupation can take up employment through a traineeship with an employer. For each hired person for the period of traineeship, but no more than 9 months the employer will be provided with financial resources from the state budget for: remuneration, the size of which is determined annually in the National Action Plan for Employment, for extra remunerations under the Labour Code, as well as for social security contributions at the expense of the employer.

 

Additional information about the measure can be found at the site of the EA under: https://www.az.government.bg/pages/myarka-stazhuvane-na-mladezhi/

 

“Youth unemployment”operation under “Human Resources Development” Operational Programme

The operation has a budget of BGN 82 million. Project activities are aimed at stimulating employers to hire young people under 29 years of age incl. for acquisition of professional experience and practical skills through traineeship and/or on-the-job training for a period of 6 months, with the assistance of a mentor appointed by the employer.

Under this procedure at least 18,665 unemployed young people are expected to be involved by the end of 2018.

Detailed information about the implementation of the operation can be found under: https://www.az.government.bg/pages/ophrd-2014-2020-procedura-mladezhka-zaetost/.

Apprenticeship is training in a specific workplace. Acquiring knowledge and skills for a certain type of work is a form of training, suitable for young people with basic or lower education and with no professional qualification.

 

Apprenticeship for unemployed youth (Article 41a of the EPA)

Unemployed young persons under 29 years of age with basic or lower education and with no vocational qualification can begin an apprenticeship with an employer. For each hired person for the period of apprenticeship, but no more than 6 months the employer will be provided with financial resources from the state budget for: remuneration, the size of which is determined annually in the National Action Plan for Employment, for extra remunerations under the Labour Code, as well as for social security contributions at the expense of the employer. The employer is also provided with funds for extra pay for a mentor, who will take care of the training of the unemployed person, but for no more than 12 months. The funds for the mentor are also determined annually in the National Action Plan for Employment.

 

Additional information about the measure can be found at the site of the EA under: https://www.az.government.bg/pages/myarka-naemane-na-lica-do-29-godishna-vazrast-osnovno-bez-kvalifikaciya-chirakuvane/

Entrepreneurship is a process of: provision of capital, organisation and coordination of economic resources to implement a business idea relating to production or sale of goods and/or services. The main goal of the entrepreneur is to make profit by taking an economic risk and investing of physical and intellectual labour.

 

Promoting entrepreneurship of unemployed people, including unemployed young people (Article 47, Article 48 and Article 49b of the EPA)

Unemployed young people start an own or joint business for the production of goods and/or provision of services. Any unemployed person registered at the Labour Office Directorate and entitled to unemployment benefits shall be provided with lump sums pursuant to Article 47, paragraph 1 of the EPA for the implementation of a business project, approved by the National Employment Agency for self-employed business activities relating to production of goods and/or provision of services. Upon signing of an agreement pursuant to Article 47, paragraph 1 of the EPA with the LOD for the start of a business activity, the person may receive funds in the size of:

  • 1,840 BGN for providing employment under the approved business project to another unemployed person without entitlement to an unemployment benefits;
  • 1,000 BGN a loan for training in the objects of economic activity and/or management of the said activity under the approved business project;
  • up to 500 BGN for reimbursement of costs, related to external consultation services and/or accompanying services in the performance of the contract under the approved project.

The size of the sums is determined annually in the National Action Plan for Employment.

Additional information about the measure can be found at the site of the EA under : https://www.az.government.bg/pages/nasarchavane-na-predpriemachestvoto/