• http://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0005213

Urquidi, Manuel, et al. (2024). Bolivia Labor Market Survey: Demand 2022 (Aggregated Data). IDB Open Data. https://doi.org/10.60966/h7zxh9vb

1. Spanish

What is this dataset?

The 2022 Bolivia Labor Market Survey (Demand) provides detailed information from formal-sector employers across Bolivia about hiring practices, skill requirements, and employment conditions. It forms part of the broader Bolivia Labor Market data series supported by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to understand how labor demand interacts with workforce supply, training systems, and productivity trends.

What does the survey measure?

This dataset captures how companies recruit, train, and retain employees, and how they perceive Bolivia’s labor regulations and the availability of skills. It includes:

• Firm characteristics: location, legal structure, sector, and size
• Employment composition by occupation (managers, professionals, technicians, qualified and unqualified workers)
• Recruitment and turnover practices
• Skill needs and gaps by occupation
• Perceptions of labor law, training, digitalization, and productivity
• Effects of COVID-19 on employment and firm operations

What are the main sections of the questionnaire?

1. General firm information
2. Employee structure and job profiles
3. Recruitment, hiring, and turnover
4. Vacancies and hiring difficulties
5. Skills by occupation (technical, behavioral, digital)
6. Training and skill development
7. Perception of labor laws and restrictions
8. Productivity and digital adoption
9. Impact of COVID-19 and labor market adjustments

What insights can be drawn from the 2022 round?

• Median hiring time for skilled workers and technicians
• Frequency and causes of unfilled vacancies
• Relative importance of hard skills (technical competencies) vs. soft skills (responsibility, teamwork, communication)
• Employer use of digital recruitment platforms and government employment programs (PAE, SPE)
• Perceived restrictiveness of labor law provisions (e.g., severance pay, fixed-term contracts, overtime pay)
• Shifts in remote work, digital marketing, and online payments after COVID-19

What are the dataset’s limitations?

• Results represent the formal sector and may not capture informal employment dynamics.
• Data are self-reported by firms and not independently verified.
• Differences in survey design between years may limit direct comparison with earlier rounds (e.g., 2015–2016).
• The survey is cross-sectional, so changes over time should be interpreted cautiously.

How can this dataset be used?

Researchers, policymakers, and educators can use this data to:

• Identify skills mismatches between training institutions and employer needs
• Design sector-specific job training and upskilling programs
• Analyze digital adoption and remote work trends among firms
• Evaluate how labor regulation affects hiring and retention
• Support employment and productivity policies aligned with post-pandemic recovery

How does this dataset relate to others in the Bolivia Labor Market series?

This dataset complements:

• Bolivia Labor Market Survey — Supply 2022 (Aggregated Data)
• Bolivia Labor Market Survey — Diversity & Inclusion Policies in Formal Companies 2023
• Labor Market Survey Data in Bolivia (2015–2016)

Together, these datasets give a complete picture of Bolivia’s employment landscape—from workforce training and recruitment practices to firm-level hiring outcomes.

What policy questions can this dataset help answer?

• Which occupations are hardest to fill in Bolivia’s urban labor markets?
• What skills do employers most frequently identify as lacking among applicants?
• How restrictive are employers’ perceptions of Bolivian labor law?
• To what extent have digitalization and remote work transformed the formal labor market?
• How have firms adapted their hiring and training strategies in response to COVID-19 disruptions?

Where can I find more information?

For technical details, refer to the survey instrument (Boleta de la Encuesta de Mercado Laboral en Bolivia 2022) included in the documentation, which defines all variables and modules. The IDB also provides methodological notes and metadata to support data harmonization with prior and subsequent waves.

What are the current labor market trends in Bolivia for 2024?

The 2022 survey shows that companies across La Paz, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz reported strong demand for workers in services and commerce, with manufacturing also significant. Firms highlighted digital skills and technical training as increasingly important, suggesting that by 2024, the trend is toward higher demand for ICT, professional services, and skilled technical labor.

Which industries in Bolivia are currently experiencing the highest growth in hiring?

According to the aggregated 2022 data, service-sector firms accounted for nearly half of all enterprises, followed by the commerce sector. These sectors reported the highest hiring activity, while manufacturing and construction showed more specialized but steady demand.

What is the impact of lithium industrialization on Bolivia's specialized labor demand?

While the dataset does not specifically isolate lithium, mining, and hydrocarbons firms, mining and hydrocarbons firms reported demand for specialized technical and engineering skills. This implies that lithium industrialization will intensify the need for geologists, chemical engineers, and technicians with sector-specific expertise.

What is the rate of growth of the digital economy and remote work demand in Bolivia's urban centers?

The survey found that over 97% of firms had internet access and more than 94% used computers. This high level of digital adoption indicates strong potential for growth in remote work and the digital economy, especially in La Paz, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz.