Bulgaria remains near the bottom of the European Union ranking when it comes to the expected length of working life, with only Romania recording a shorter period among member states. The average Bulgarian is expected to spend 34.6 years in the labor market, which is nearly three years below the EU average, according to Eurostat data.
Across the European Union, the expected duration of working life reaches 37.5 years in 2025. The indicator measures the number of years a person aged 15 is expected to participate in the labor market, either through employment or by actively looking for a job. The figures reveal significant differences between member states, with the gap between the countries with the longest and shortest working lives exceeding 11 years.
The Netherlands leads the EU ranking, with an expected working life of 44 years. It is followed by Sweden with 43.4 years, Denmark with 42.6 years and Estonia with 41.5 years. At the other end of the scale are mainly countries from Southern and Eastern Europe, where people spend fewer years in employment or job seeking.
Romania records the shortest expected working life in the EU at 32.7 years, followed by Italy with 33 years and Bulgaria with 34.6 years. Croatia and Greece also remain below the European average, with expected working lives of 35.1 and 35.3 years respectively.
