Bulgaria is far from the richest EU state. The standard of living there is much lower than in other countries of the former Eastern bloc, and there are plenty of unemployed people. Nevertheless, Bulgaria is quite suitable for starting a new life here. How can Russians and representatives of other nationalities find work in Bulgaria and what difficulties will they have to face?
Economic situation in Bulgaria
Judging by the pessimistic forecasts of the country's government, the illusion of a rapid economic recovery will have to be forgotten. Bulgaria is among the TOP 3 EU countries with the lowest per capita income, and the situation will not change dramatically in the next few years.
According to the latest data, the unemployment rate is gradually decreasing, but it is still too high. The equipment of most enterprises is worn out, there is no money for its modernization and expansion of production, so new jobs are practically not created, competition for employment is enormous. Perhaps after 2021, when the country switches to the euro currency and can count on an influx of foreign investment, the situation will change for the better.
Methods for finding legal work
There are different ways to find a job in Bulgaria. It depends on the desired position, salary level, profession, knowledge of foreign languages.
Independently through relatives, friends or acquaintances
This method is especially popular among Russian-speaking citizens due to its simplicity and accessibility. Former compatriots will help you adapt to new conditions. So you can get a job as a cook, nanny, tutor, driver, or salesperson.
Among the obvious disadvantages are the inability to find work for representatives of rare specialties, low wages, and a closed language environment that prevents rapid assimilation.
Through specialized sites
The most popular headhunting resource for Russian-speaking job seekers is the EuRabota.com portal. Judging by its pages, today the most in demand are blue-collar workers, office and service personnel. Good vacancies in Bulgaria can be viewed here: https://eurabota.com/in/bulgaria/hiring/.
The websites jobs.bg and rabota.bg have many more interesting offers: from work in the financial sector to manufacturing specialties. But if you don’t know Bulgarian well, you’ll have to get a dictionary to search.
With the help of employment agencies
Everything here is the same as in Russia. The main thing when concluding an agreement for the provision of relevant services is to study the reputation of the agency. Today there are many scammers who specialize in luring money out of gullible citizens planning to work in Bulgaria. In addition, the applicant will have to pay for the services of an intermediary and the preparation of documents necessary for employment.
Searching for a job in Bulgaria can be done in different ways: from selecting vacancies on the website to calling advertisements in the newspaper
Individual entrepreneurship
Do you want to earn money legally? Open your own company and earn money. This is not difficult; in Bulgaria it is not customary to “nightmare” small businesses and strangle them with taxes. But difficulties, of course, can arise, so it’s impossible to do without consulting with experienced comrades. In addition, it is advisable to have at least some business experience. How successful a business in Bulgaria will be depends on many factors. Including how correctly the direction of work is chosen. It is obvious that in a resort town you can prosper by providing services to your compatriots. But far from the resorts, you will have to focus on the local population, which, on the one hand, is quite conservative, and on the other, not too rich. However, even at resorts people often burn out - this does not happen very rarely, and it would be dishonest to deny such facts. You may also be interested in our other articles: Reports and taxes in Bulgaria: how to sleep peacefully? Coupons and discounts in Bulgaria: personal experience of saving Fraud in Bulgaria: be careful! Do you like the article? Share with your friends by clicking on the social media buttons! Thank you!
Paradise on the Black Sea: who is welcome here
Bulgaria is a country specializing in tourism and agriculture, so work is usually seasonal. Today in demand:
- drivers;
- builders of various qualifications;
- qualified turners, milling operators;
- cooks, bartenders;
- maids, wardrobemaids;
- massage therapists, junior medical staff;
- sales managers;
- secretaries, assistant managers.
Among highly qualified personnel, lawyers with a good knowledge of international law, IT specialists in software development companies, system administrators, web content and multimedia developers are in demand. The main requirements for them are excellent knowledge in their field and high-level English.
Average salary level
Wages in Bulgaria are noticeably lower than the EU average. Today the minimum wage in the country is 380 leva (approximately 200 euros) . During 2021, it is expected to grow by about 10%, which does not look very comforting. Workers and office staff receive approximately 400–500 euros per month. The average salary in the country is about 700 euros, and in Sofia it is almost 1.5 times higher than in Varna, Gabrovo or Burgas.
Popular places to look for work
Sunny Beach is the largest resort in Bulgaria, located in the east of the country near the Black Sea coast. There are 84 hotels in the city. Next door to Sunny Beach is Nessebar - a real open-air museum city with amphitheaters, ruins of fortress walls and ancient churches. Therefore, among seasonal workers, a guide is the most popular profession here.
How to set up a place to work at the computer: the effect is felt immediately
Golden Sands is the most popular destination for youth recreation. In addition to a dozen hotels, the resort has many nightclubs and bars, as well as a casino and the Aquapolis water park. At a typical hotel resort, you can expect to be employed as a cook, bartender, waiter, or maid. However, in Golden Sands it is possible to get a job as a DJ in a nightclub or as a croupier in a casino, which in itself is more interesting and pays better.
Albena is the best family holiday resort in the country, consisting of 43 hotels. Parks with carousels, amusement parks and water parks are great places to work as animators and children's counselors.
Stages of official employment
Work in Bulgaria is practically unavailable for residents of non-EU countries. Before looking for one, according to local law, you must obtain permanent residence status. To do this, you will have to live in Bulgaria for at least 5 years, and you can leave the country for no more than 6 months within 1 year and no more than 10 months in total over 5 years.
In other words, to get legal work in Bulgaria, you will have to emigrate for permanent residence. Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians cannot work during these 5 years. An exception is made only for spouses of Bulgarian citizens. Such strict laws are designed to protect the domestic labor market from the influx of migrants. However, there are still ways to officially get a job.
Work permit for foreigners
Residents of Russia and other non-EU countries will be officially hired in the following cases:
- if the employee was invited and hired by a company in need of specialized services;
- if the immigrant plans to run his own business here.
Previously, an employer could employ a foreigner only if he could prove that it was unrealistic to find a specialist with the appropriate qualifications among fellow citizens. In April 2021, Bulgarian MPs ratified a document abolishing this requirement. Now employers can hire highly qualified foreigners with the so-called “blue card”, which gives the right to reside and work in Bulgaria. Citizens who have a higher education diploma or 5 years of work experience in their specialty can receive a blue card.
Subtleties of obtaining a work visa
It must be remembered that documents for issuing a long-term visa can only be submitted at the Bulgarian embassy or consulate. To officially find a job, you need to submit the following documents:
- international passport;
- certificate confirming knowledge of the Bulgarian language;
- a document confirming the presence of a temporary residence permit or temporary residence permit;
- work permit or documents confirming the intention to open your own business.
Previously, a special work permit had to be issued within six months; now this period has been reduced to 2 months. All necessary documents are submitted to the country’s Ministry of Economy, where the “one window” principle operates. This is very convenient because there is no need to seek help from different government agencies.
A work visa is issued for 1 year and can be extended three times . Then you will have to collect a new package of documents and obtain another permit.
Fines for attempting illegal employment
Punitive measures for attempting illegal employment are among the toughest in Europe. An employer who violates the employment law and unofficially employs an employee will have to pay a hefty fine. Repeated violation is punishable by prosecution. Therefore, serious companies prefer to process immigrants according to all the rules.
Fines for illegal employment in Bulgaria are much higher than in other EU countries
How to obtain citizenship
A foreigner who resides in the country legally can establish his own company in Bulgaria. To obtain citizenship, an applicant must meet one of the following two criteria:
- be a Bulgarian by nationality or marry a representative of this ethnic group;
- be of interest to the country as an outstanding and recognized figure in the sciences, arts or other fields of activity.
In other cases, you cannot count on quickly receiving a Bulgarian passport.
After five years of stay in the country with a residence permit (the residence permit is issued for a year with extension), a foreigner can apply for permanent residence (permanent resident) status. It is provided to persons of the following categories:
- ethnic Bulgarians;
- to adoptive parents of Bulgarian orphans;
- investors for a total amount of $500 thousand;
- wealthy pensioners.
Ethnic Bulgarians living in other countries prove their nationality. The relevant check is carried out by the immigration service (office in Sofia) after providing the following documents:
- application (petition, “pray” in Bulgarian) for citizenship;
- general and foreign passports (plus copies);
- color photographs (for documents, format 3.5x4.5, 4 pcs.);
- birth certificate (a copy is certified by the immigration service) of the applicant and his Bulgarian relatives;
- certificate of no criminal record (in the original);
- autobiographies;
- detailed information about family members and immediate relatives;
- medical certificates (form 286, stating that the applicant does not suffer from AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases and is mentally healthy).
So, an ethnic Bulgarian, having gone through a number of authorities, can obtain permanent residence, and subsequently citizenship. Everyone else will have to follow the scheme: residence permit - permanent residence - citizenship (if such a task is set).
Submitting an application for a residence permit is possible after registering an enterprise of any form of ownership, except for an individual entrepreneur (sole trader, ET, in Bulgarian - sole trader).
But to do this, you must first enter the country with a special business visa, issued on the basis of an invitation from business partners. Its conditions imply a short-term stay. The allocated time should be used as efficiently as possible to set up your own business. After this, you should obtain an immigration visa type “D”, which allows you to stay in Bulgaria for a long time.
The next stage is the status of resident, that is, permanent resident. Permanent residence gives almost the same rights as a citizen, with some exceptions (participation in elections, military service, etc.) that do not affect the conduct of business.
Documents required to obtain a business visa to Bulgaria in 2021
To obtain a business visa, a Russian citizen must provide the following package of documents to the consulate of the Republic of Bulgaria:
- completed application form;
- questionnaire;
- international passport (original and copy);
- a list of the latest Schengen and Bulgarian visas received previously (if any);
- color photos for documents (3.5 x 4.5, 4 pcs.);
- confirmation of sufficient finances to live in Bulgaria;
- health insurance policy worth €30 thousand or more;
- certificate of good conduct;
- information about place of residence in Bulgaria;
- confirmation of business activity in Bulgaria.
In case of difficulty, consular officers provide assistance and assistance. After passing a mandatory interview, a visa is usually issued within a month.
How to open a company in Bulgaria
Registration of a business entity (or change of ownership upon acquisition) by a resident of Bulgaria is a technical problem that can be solved in the most common ways. To do this, a regular package of documents is submitted, approximately the same as in Russia.
It is important to decide on other issues: the legal form of ownership and taxation features.
Legal forms of ownership in Bulgaria
There are some differences between Russian and Bulgarian legal forms of entrepreneurship. It manifests itself in greater diversity and unusual names. For convenience, Bulgarian terms are summarized in a table with explanations.
| Organizational and legal form of business | Description | Responsibility | Authorized capital (minimum) |
| ET (sole trader - sole trader) | Almost a complete analogue of the Russian individual entrepreneur. The name of the entity must match the surname of the sole founder | Full | Not required |
| SL (collectively friendship - full partnership) | Formed by at least two founders | Full | 2 leva |
| KD (command partnership - limited partnership) | Established and managed by the so-called. commander, attracting limited partners (shareholders) | Full for commanders, limited for limited partners | No restrictions |
| AD (joint-stock company - joint-stock company) | Non-residents can act as founders | Within the property of AD | 50 thousand lev |
| KDA (command partnership with shares - LLC with shares) | The founders are one main (commanditieri, also known as manager) and three limited shareholders | Full for commanders, limited for limited partners | 50 thousand levs (immediately – half) |
| Ltd. or EOOD (sole partnership with limited disclaimer) | The main requirement is the creation of at least ten vacancies for Bulgarian citizens | Within the company's ownership | 2 leva |
The following factors influencing the choice of legal form should be added to this table:
- A foreigner who has received permanent residence can register as a sole trader. He pays 10% of his profits.
- Limited forms of partnerships are most often used when registering family businesses of Bulgarian citizens.
AD and EOOD are considered the most preferable for foreigners, since the founders of such enterprises can immediately apply for permanent residence.
Procedure and cost of registering a company in Bulgaria
There are companies in Bulgaria that offer registration, and they don’t charge very much. It probably makes sense to use the services of intermediaries, especially if the founder is not fluent in the language and has little knowledge of the intricacies of the local bureaucracy. However, the question arises about what to do next. The best way to acclimatize for business is to do everything yourself.
Regardless of the form of ownership of the enterprise being opened, the sequence of actions will be as follows:
- Generating a unique name. The Trade Register of the Republic of Bulgaria has a complete list of already operating companies, with which you should check your invented name, which (who knows?) could become a brand. It wouldn’t hurt to consult with a Bulgarian friend about euphony.
- Formation of authorized capital. As is already clear, to register AD and KDA you need to have fifty thousand leva (for reference: 1 leva is approximately equal to 37 rubles at the exchange rate). This, of course, does not mean the ability to open an LLC or EOOD with two levs in your pocket. Formally, this is true, but you still can’t do without a large sum.
- It is understood that the composition of the founders has already been determined, as well as their share in the business. If there are any ambiguities about this, now is the time to clear them up.
- Selecting a legal address. This is usually the founder's place of residence.
- Creating a list of activities. The list of directions of business activity of the future company cannot be endless. The option “everything that is not prohibited by law” does not work in Bulgaria and in the European Union as a whole. Need more specifics.
This completes the preparatory activities. It's time to prepare a package of documents.
Documents for registration of EOOD and OOD
Only the signature card of the head of the company requires notarization. All other documents are provided in originals and copies in the following composition:
- A declaration indicating the applicant's full name, his citizenship, date and place of birth, passport details and his residential address. Drawed up in accordance with the requirements of §4 Article 13, Law on the Commercial Register of Bulgaria.
- Declaration that the future founder has not been in bankruptcy in the last two years and has not participated in enterprises involved in dubious transactions with petroleum products (Article 141 §9 of the Trade Law and Article 313 of the Bulgarian Criminal Code).
- Declaration that the founder is familiar with Article 142 of the Trade Law, according to which the director makes all decisions with the consent of the Company.
- Charter of the EOOD (also known as the constituent act). Printed in two copies. Contains all the main details of the company, personal data of the founder, an order for the appointment of a manager and other provisions on the work of the future enterprise.
- Agreement with the appointed manager. It is drawn up as a regular employment agreement.
- The decision of the sole owner to establish a company (protocol).
- Manager's sample signature card (that's what a director is called in Bulgarian). Notaries have forms of this document with all the necessary columns.
Now that the package of documents is ready, you should open a savings account in a bank and deposit the authorized capital into it. This procedure is simple and costs very little – 10 leva. You must keep the receipt.
The same bank pays the fee of the Trade Register, in which each Bulgarian company is registered (110 leva). With this receipt you need to go to the Register office (available in almost all major cities) and fill out the A4 form. This is a registration application, on the basis of which an EIK (enterprise identification number) is assigned within about a week and a half.
The process is completed by a certificate of current status, which is issued by the Trade Register after payment of a fee (7 leva). All that remains is to order a seal and open a current account, and you can start working.
The documents required for registering a limited liability company are the same as for opening a limited liability company.
Business immigration
Today, business immigration is the most realistic way to move to Bulgaria. There are practically no administrative barriers preventing this. It is possible to register your company within 1–2 weeks.
It is best to create a business related to real estate trading, construction, tourism or the provision of services. Competition in these areas is high, but the income will be good. If the starting capital is small, it is worth opening a store selling groceries, a cigar kiosk, a hairdresser, or organizing a taxi company.
Many immigrants dream of opening a small cafe.
What kind of job can you find in a few days?
Job advertisements for Russians appear in newspapers and on specialized websites regularly. It is clear that you will not be able to get a job as the head of a large financial corporation or as a director of a factory this way. You will also have to compete for the position of a bank clerk or nurse. However, specialists in some professions are lucky: they always have a wide selection of real vacancies at their service. Among these lucky ones:
- Administrators at the hotel. The main condition here is impeccable knowledge of the English language. Over 5 years of experience and work experience in the largest Russian hotels will allow you to make a choice in your favor.
- Sales consultants. The main requirements for applicants are sociability, representative appearance, sociability, and impeccable command of the Russian and English languages.
- Office managers. Preference is given to candidates with high computer literacy and knowledge of document management features.
What you need to know and be able to do to get a job in Bulgaria
If the goal is to leave for a season, then work in Bulgaria without knowledge of the language is offered to dishwashers, laborers, and maids. Qualified specialists need knowledge of the Bulgarian language. During your work life you will have to come into contact with local residents.
Knowledge of English is an additional advantage, but it can only be limited to people planning to work in an international company.
If you are interested in working in Bulgaria as a doctor or teacher, then according to Bulgarian legislation, these specialties will require confirmation of a diploma.
Before agreeing to a seasonal job, it is necessary to clarify the conditions of stay: employers offer free food, accommodation, transfer to the workplace, but in fact a certain amount is deducted from the salary for these services.
According to the labor legislation of the Republic of Belarus, the standard working day in the country is 8 hours, the working week is 40 hours. Many employers offer just such a schedule, but depending on the specifics of the work, the conditions may vary (6 days a week, 10-12 hours a day).
