The question about how to earn for a living is important for all people in the world, no matter where they live. But it is especially important for those who moved or planning to move to another country. It’s easier at home: you can find a job through somebody’s way or, in extreme cases, register at the labor exchange and to get at least a symbolic dole. A foreigner can not rely on any type of the social support in Bulgaria, besides, he must once a year (every 6 months) renew a residence permit and to pay for the insurance.
The dangerous mythmaking
There is a myth that any foreigner, especially who knows Russian language, can easily find a job in the tourism sector. Indeed, the black sea resorts offer a lot of vacancies in the summer and they are willing to hire anyone for a job, including foreigners. However, there is a significant lack of such employment – in most cases they can offer only an illegal job for a foreigner.
This means that after the first inspection (inspections regularly carry out on the resorts) both the employer and the employee will be penalized. In the future, can be even more severe penalties and problems with the law. An ignorance of the law does not exempt the liability – you still have to pay fines, because holders of the Bulgarian residence permit do not have the right to be employed for hire in Bulgaria.
The legal job for hire
Can you get a job legally? There is such a possibility, but a legal employment presents significant challenges – especially for employers. So, the employer needs to prove that he can’t take on the job domestic experts for objective reasons, and only then to hire a foreign specialist by the special permission of the Ministry of labour.
The procedure is simplified for certain scarce professions in Bulgaria, for example, in the field of the information technology. But while it is not profitable to employ foreigners for employers and exceptions are usually made only for the most valuable professionals, for which it is worth to get all permissions.
Your own company
The opening of your own company and provide services from its behalf is the most common way to circumvent a ban on the employment. The opening of Ltd takes a minimum of time and is inexpensive. If the company does not operate, it is enough to submit reports once a year accountants engaged in this. If the activity is carried out, you need to constant and close cooperate with the Bulgarian accountant that all documentation was in order. Of course, you must timely submit reports and pay taxes.
Employers usually respond positively to the offer to provide them services from the company instead of hiring. This approach saves them from having to pay contributions to the Fund of the obligatory medical insurance (osigurovki), so often more profitable. When calculating the cost of these services, you need to consider all costs and taxes of the firm when providing services that the activity was profitable.
The opening of the company and self-employment today remains the only legal and easy way of earning for foreigners in Bulgaria. The majority of the permanently living in the country people are earning in that way being managers of their companies.
The end of restrictions
The ban on the job for hire for foreigners applies only to those who have the permission for the long stay (the residence permit). This permission must be renewed yearly for five years. After that the alien may obtain the permanent resident status in the country.
The permanent residence gives new opportunities and rights that comparable to the rights of the country citizens. In particular, it is possible to be employed without any special permits, without fear of fines and the police harassment. Of course, you can also continue work in your own company, if this activity has already become usual and comfortable.
