Work Permits for Foreigners in Bulgaria
European Union
1.1. General rules
Foreigners can work in Bulgaria, only after obtaining a work permit, unless otherwise provided by law. Grounds for obtaining a work permit by a foreigner is registering an employment contract with a Bulgarian employer, or an invitation for a foreigner on a business trip to implement certain activities in Bulgaria.
European citizens may be employed, self-employed or sent on a business trip, and may work in Bulgaria without restrictions and without the need of work permits.
The local employer should request the Bulgarian Employment Agency to issue a work permit required for a foreigner. Certain legal terms and conditions must be met for the permit to be issued.
Work permit is issued only for work that requires specialized knowledge and skills, when no local persons prepared for the work can be found on the national labour market.
Work permit is issued only at the request of the employer - natural person or legal entity registered under Bulgarian law, or at the request of a legal entity registered under Bulgarian law which is a party in an effective inter-company contract with a foreign legal entity which is the employer of the foreigner.
The required set of documents shall be submitted to the Employment Bureau which covers the place of work of the foreigner.
The work permit is an official personal document of the foreigner which gives him the right to work in the Republic of Bulgaria for a pre-determined period of time at a particular job, at a particular position with the legal entity or the natural person registered under Bulgarian law who requested issuing of the work permit.
The work permit is issued for a period of up to one year with the possibility of extension for up to 3 years for the executive staff and for more than 3 years for the senior staff.
The work permit is grounds for issuing by the relevant authorities of an entry permit and a residence permit for the same period.
Alleviated conditions for the issuance of a work permit apply for:
• foreigners whose employment in the country results from the execution of international agreements in which the Republic of Bulgaria is a party;
• guest lecturers, lecturers and teachers in Bulgarian universities and secondary schools;
• senior management staff of companies established by foreign legal entities on the territory of Bulgaria;
• athletes and coaches in professional sports clubs;
• persons of Bulgarian origin;
There is legally set fee for the issue of a Work Permit.
Pursuant to art. 48 of the Law for the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria (LFRB), both foreigners working illegally and natural persons and legal entities, using the labour of a foreigner without a work permit are subject to penalties.
There are cases in Bulgarian legislation when a foreigner does not need a work permit to be employed in the country.
No work permits are required for foreigners with long-term or permanent residence in the Republic of Bulgaria, or with equal rights acquired by granting asylum, refugee status or humanitarian status.
Bulgarian employers must report signed employment contracts with foreigners and European citizens at the National Revenue Agency within 3 days of signing the contract.
European citizens who are sent on a business trip in Bulgaria are subject to single registration at the Bulgarian Employment Agency, which is performed by the local person accepting the seconded employees.
1.2. Foreigners who generally do not need a work permit in Bulgaria
Below is a list of the main categories of foreigners who can work in Bulgaria without needing a work permit:
• Managers of companies or branches of foreign legal entities.
• Members of the Managing Board or Board of Directors of local companies, who are not employed on a labour contract
• Commercial representatives of foreign companies registered at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• Foreigners who have been granted long-term or permanent residence in Bulgaria, and
• Family members of an EU citizen or a foreigner who has been granted long-term residence in Bulgaria.
1.3. Foreigners that may work on short-term assignments without a work permit
Foreigners may be engaged to perform short-term tasks without a work permit under the following conditions:
• They are sent on a business trip in Bulgaria by their foreign employer
• The assignment in Bulgaria is no longer than 3 months within a period of one year
• The task includes any of the following: (I) installation or warranty repair of imported machinery or equipment; (II) training in operation with the equipment or delivery of ordered equipment, machinery or other articles; (III) training as part of an export contract for the supply of goods under a license agreement.
For this purpose a single registration of the foreigner in the Bulgarian Employment Agency should be done prior to assignment.
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