In the first half of the year, 27,109 citizens from 77 non-EU countries were approved to work in Bulgaria, according to the Employment Agency’s procedures for foreign employment. This accounts for 78% of the total foreign workers in Bulgaria for all of 2024, which stood at 34,720.
Over the last six years, Bulgaria has brought in more than 108,000 workers from 65 non-EU countries, reflecting a growing trend aimed at addressing labor shortages, as per the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy for 2019-2024.
Interestingly, Bulgaria is increasingly less seen as a destination for cheap labor.
The information was provided in response to a query by GERB-SDF MP and former Social Minister Denitsa Sacheva to Minister Borislav Gutsanov.
Foreign workers mainly contribute to Bulgaria’s hotels, restaurants, construction, manufacturing, ICT, and transport sectors.
Top countries contributing workers include:
• Uzbekistan (10,514): Seasonal, construction, and manufacturing workers.
• Turkey (10,441): Specialists and technical personnel in construction, and seasonal workers.
• Kyrgyzstan (7,138): Seasonal and manufacturing industry workers.
• Nepal (4,522): Low-skilled manufacturing and seasonal agriculture and tourism workers.
• India (3,155): Manufacturing, transport, and IT workers.
• Russia (3,118): Technical, engineering, and IT specialists.
• Ukraine (1,923): Seasonal, engineering, and construction workers.
The number of foreign workers has notably increased, particularly with Single Residence and Work Permits rising from 1,129 in 2019 to 13,131 in 2024.
Blue Card permits also increased from 370 in 2019 to 1,101 in 2024, though the anticipated rise in attracting highly qualified workers from outside the EU has not been fully realized.
Illustrative Photo by Imad Clicks: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-picking-lavender-at-the-lavender-park-sirhama-jammu-and-kashmir-india-17474306/
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