Working in Bulgaria for foreigners: everything about entry and the residence permit

To obtain permission to stay in the Republic of Bulgaria (short-term – up to 90 days, or long-term – up to one year), you must hold a work permit. The exceptions are few: EU citizens, family members of a foreigner holding a long-term residence permit, managers of branches or business companies of foreign legal entities, and certain other cases. These categories of persons may obtain long-term residence permit status for up to one year without holding a work permit.

Holders of a permanent residence permit or a long-term residence permit (with an unlimited term or with the option of extension after 5 years) may take up employment on an equal footing with Bulgarian citizens, without needing a special permit. Only a few positions remain unavailable to non-citizens of the country.

Work permit in Bulgaria

The document is issued by the national employment agency. The procedure consists of several stages:

• First, the employer submits the required documents to the Employment Service Directorate at the foreign national’s place of work;
• If necessary, the administration may request additional papers certifying that all conditions have been met;
• The documentation is forwarded to the executive director of the National Employment Agency together with the opinion of the employment service directorate;
• The executive director takes the final decision – to issue the permit or to refuse issuance.

The set of documents consists of:

• An application and a request drawn up in a specific form;
• An explanatory note stating the reason for the request;
• Three photographs;
• A certified copy of the registration document or ID code identifying the employer;
• Documents confirming the foreigner’s education, specialty, professional qualifications, experience and skills (after the legalisation procedure);
• A reference from the foreign national’s previous employer;
• A report for the previous 12 months on the staff employed by the employer;
• An employment contract;
• Other documents meeting the regulatory requirements, depending on the specifics of the work;
• A copy of the foreigner’s document for travel outside their country (international passport) valid for at least seven months;
• For senior management staff, as well as specialists of a foreign legal entity — an official legalised document certifying the position held by the foreigner in the foreign company over the last 12 months.

Within three days of submission, the documents are sent by the Directorate to the National Employment Agency. A decision on them is taken within one month of receipt of the documentation.

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