Employment of foreigners in Bulgaria: finding a job has now become easier!

For example, at the beginning of 2017 it became possible to hire, for up to 90 days, citizens (predominantly of Bulgarian origin) from Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and other non-EU countries in the tourism and agricultural sectors.

The authorities did not stop at this concession. At the start of the summer season it became clear that there were not enough workers in the tourism sector. In this connection, on 8 June 2017 amendments were made to the rules for applying the Law “On Labour Migration and Labour Mobility” that make it easier for foreign citizens to take up employment.

Previously, in order to hire a citizen of a non-EU country, employers had to publish a job vacancy advertisement in advance so that the position could be filled by citizens of the country. This rule has now been abolished for seasonal workers. Company managers can hire foreign staff straight away.

The rule requiring the mandatory submission of a property lease agreement and of documents on education and qualifications (with confirmation of authenticity) has also been abolished.

As Deputy Prime Minister Valeri Simeonov noted, these measures are expected to help attract foreign workers from the territory of the former USSR – predominantly ethnic Bulgarians. By the end of the season, information appeared that the employers’ invitations had been taken up mainly by citizens of Ukraine, as well as of Moldova, Turkey and Russia. They managed to raise the level of service at Bulgarian resorts.

Standard and simplified procedures for obtaining a work permit

Obtaining a work permit is quite difficult for a foreigner. The ordinary procedure requires the employer’s active involvement. The employer must prove that it was not possible to hire a Bulgarian citizen for the vacant position and that a foreigner therefore has to be taken on. To do this, a vacancy advertisement is published, and if no candidates come forward within two weeks, the employer applies to the Employment Agency. The employer submits:

• documents on the company (founding documents, a certificate of current status and others);
• an application-declaration;
• a justification of the need to hire a foreign citizen specifically;
• a copy of the foreigner’s passport and his photographs;
• documents on the foreign citizen’s education and qualifications (translated and legalised);
• a copy of the employment contract stating the salary.

There are also a number of restrictions. For example, foreign workers may make up no more than 10% of an enterprise’s staff, there must have been no mass dismissals of Bulgarian citizens beforehand, and the foreigner’s working conditions must be no worse than those of Bulgarians working in similar positions. The permit is issued for a maximum of one year (with the possibility of extension up to three years).

The Agency reviews the package of documents within a month. After that, if the permit is granted, the employer pays a fee of 400 leva and sends the permit to the worker, who uses it to obtain a type D visa.

A simplified procedure is provided for highly qualified specialists working in certain fields (most often IT) and for seasonal workers. In the latter case, no advertisements need to be published to obtain a permit. The employer obtains the permit for the workers from the Employment Agency.

Foreign workers may come to work in Bulgaria for a fixed period. To obtain a permit for up to 90 days, an application from the employer is required, on the basis of which the foreigner receives a visa for seasonal work. The registration is confirmed by the signature of the Executive Director of the Employment Agency.

For seasonal work lasting from 90 days to 9 months, a permit from the Ministry of the Interior is additionally required. This document is issued following a resolution by the Executive Director of the Employment Agency.

Important details:

There is an approved list of economic sectors that include types of seasonal work. It comprises:

• Agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
• The restaurant business.
• The hotel business.

The simplified permit procedure is intended for these types of activity.

In addition, under the Law on Foreigners, the procedure for obtaining a seasonal work permit is accelerated for those foreigners who have already had experience of such work in Bulgaria within the last 5 years.

It should be noted that none of these positive changes apply to those residing in Bulgaria on other grounds.

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