Employment of foreigner citizens (Bulgaria)

2. Employment of foreigner citizens

The information below is summarized from the Labour Ministry, Labour Agency, The Law for the foreigners in Bulgaria, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The order for issuing of a work permit for foreigners in Bulgaria.

2.1. The work permit is issued by Executive Director of the Labour Agency to foreigners which are employed pursuant to the Bulgarian Laboude Code. The work permit to foreigner is issuable only when the Bulgarian trade market does not offer qualified Bulgarian citizen for the job position required. The work permit is official documents which gives to the foreigner the right to work in Bulgaria pursuant to the Bulgarian legislation for a definite time but no more than one year. After the end of the one year term the work permit can be extented for no more than 3 years for the regular employees and for more than 3 years for the manager employees. An employer cannot apply for work permit for more than 10% of the total amount of Bulgarian employees.

2.2. The work permit can be issued to the following foreigners:

People with statute of refugee

People who has a constant residence permit;

People send from abroad to Bulgarian insitutions in the sphere of the law, medicine, finance pursuant to international government contracts;

People who are CEO of branchs of foreign corporate bodies;

People who are members of the Board of Directors of corporate bodies registered in the Bulgarian Trade Commercial Hall;2.

People who are diplomatic or assignors of international diplomatic representatives on the territory of Republic of Bulgaria;

People who are members of a family of EU citizens up to receiving of constant residence permit;

Special science people

Students who study in Bulgaria and work on a student practice;

Lector who visit Bulgaria for a lecture;

Football players and trainers;

Circus and ballet;

2.3. The work permit could be issued to a foreigner in the following situations:

2.3.1. The local employer must show a proof that he cannot find a qualified Bulgarian employee for the job position the employer offers. The employer must show proof to the Labour Bureau that for no more than 15 days the employer actively searched a Bulgarian specialist, inclusive the people from point 1, but he could not find. The Labour Agency makes a labour verification of this.

2.3.2. After the Labour Agency verification if they permit the Bulgarian employer to employe foreigners, the foreigners must collect some documents: applications form, passport pictures, education documents, diploma and others;

2.3.3. The Labour Agency can make verifications for accertain the truth of the information and to required addition documents needed for issuing the work permit. The Labour Agency issue the work permit for one moneht after collectiong all documents or issue refusal for the work permit for one month after collecting all documents.

2.3.4. The Labour Agency collect taxes for issuing the work permit which are at the expense of the employer. For issuing of work permit BGN 600. the taxes are not refundable nevertheless the work permit is issued or refused to be issued.

3. Long-term or constant residence permit for foreigners:

3.1. EU citizens can enter in Bulgaria with an ID card. They can receive long-term residence permit (no more than 5 years) at the Migrate Direction after paying the taxes for this service and conceding some documents: declaration for address, proof he has enough money to live in Bulgaria (not less then BGN 50 per day) etc. After receipt of the long-term residence the EU citizen can apply for a constant residence permit. The EU citizens has the right to stay no more than 183 per calendar year in Bulgaria without any residence permit.

3.2. The non EU citizens have the right to stay no more than 90 days per calendar year but on three different entrance no more than 30 days per enter, if they do not have visa. Upon enter they must inform the administrative control service at the Ministry of internal affairs for the address of their visit, name, personal data and to update this information every day during their visit. If the non EU citizen have visa D for long-term residence he can stay for no more than 1 year. If the non EU citizen does not have visa D during his entrance he can candidate for 1 year residence at the Migration Directorate in Bulgaria.

*The information herein is based on reliable sources and data. The information provided is extent to the permitted by applicable Bulgarian Laws.