Hiring Non-EU Workers in Bulgaria: Your Questions Answered
Work permits, single permits, quotas, and compliance: Practical answers from iJobs Center, a licensed staff leasing and recruitment agency in Bulgaria.
Can a Bulgarian company hire workers from outside the EU?
Yes. A Bulgarian company can hire third-country nationals when the worker and employer meet the legal conditions. The employer starts the process and the worker receives the right to live and work in Bulgaria after approval. iJobs Center can manage recruitment, documents, permits, payroll, and compliance.
What is a single permit for Bulgaria?
A single permit gives a non-EU national the right to live and work in Bulgaria for a specific employer. The process usually involves employer documents, worker documents, Migration Directorate review, and in many cases a Type D visa step before arrival.
How long does a work permit take in Bulgaria?
A realistic timeline is usually 2 to 4 months, depending on document readiness, appointment availability, the worker's country of origin, and the permit route. iJobs Center prepares the documents and manages the process to reduce avoidable delays.
Who arranges the work permit — the employer or the agency?
The legal employer normally arranges the permit. When iJobs Center acts as the staff leasing provider, we manage the permit process, employment documents, renewals, payroll, and compliance. Your company manages the worker's daily tasks.
What countries can supply workers to Bulgaria?
Bulgaria has bilateral labour agreements with several countries including Ukraine, Moldova, North Macedonia, and others. Third-country nationals from countries without bilateral agreements can still be hired under the standard single permit process. iJobs Center advises on the most efficient sourcing routes for your sector.
Is there a quota system for third-country workers in Bulgaria?
Bulgaria uses employer-level limits for hiring third-country nationals. In general, the number of foreign workers is capped as a percentage of the employer's local and EU workforce, with different rules and exceptions depending on the permit route. This should be checked before each project.
What are the salary requirements for hiring third-country nationals?
The salary must meet Bulgarian labour law requirements for the role and must not fall below the statutory minimum wage. Some permit routes and specialist roles may require higher pay thresholds. iJobs Center checks the salary requirement before starting the application.
Can iJobs Center handle the full recruitment and permit process?
Yes. We source the candidate, verify documents, prepare the permit application, act as legal employer under a staff leasing contract, handle payroll and social security, and manage renewals. You manage the worker on site.
What industries can use foreign workers in Bulgaria?
Construction, logistics, manufacturing, food processing, hospitality, cleaning, agriculture, and security are the most common sectors. iJobs Center has active experience placing workers across all of these industries with Bulgarian employer clients.
What happens if the work permit is refused?
iJobs Center reviews the refusal reason, corrects document issues where possible, and advises whether resubmission or a different permit route makes sense. A refusal can happen when documents, salary, employer eligibility, or worker eligibility do not meet the requirements.
Ready to hire foreign workers?
Talk to iJobs Center. We handle permits, payroll, and compliance — end to end.
