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Bulgaria: new analysis puts third-country workers under 2% of employment as hiring needs stay high
An Institute for Market Economics (IME) analysis, reported on 29 October 2026, says about 29,000 third-country nationals held employment-based residence permits in Bulgaria at end-2025 and finds no clear sign of displacement of local workers. No rules have changed; key hiring obligations are summarised from official Employment Agency guidance.
What the analysis reports
The Focus news agency reported on 29 October 2026 on a new analysis by the Institute for Market Economics (IME), an independent Sofia think tank. Citing Eurostat data, it says around 29,000 third-country nationals held residence permits for employment in Bulgaria at the end of 2025, almost five times more than in 2020. The analysis notes that Employment Agency figures are higher (about 49,000 permits in total for the year, more than 18,000 of them for seasonal work), but even then foreign workers make up less than 2% of the 2.9 million people employed in Bulgaria.
Seasonal hiring is concentrated on the coast
According to the report, 18,658 registrations for seasonal work of up to 90 days by third-country nationals were recorded in 2025. Burgas region had the most (8,066), followed by Varna (3,022); the most common jobs were in hotels and restaurants. The analysis says the regional data do not show a clear displacement of Bulgarian workers or downward pressure on wages.
Labour demand remains high
The report says the Employment Agency’s 2025 survey forecast 231,000 potential hires over the following 12 months, about 12% fewer than a year earlier but still well above the available labour supply. It also cites National Statistical Institute projections that the working-age population could fall from about 3.9 million today to 3.1 million by 2050. For employers, this suggests that recruitment from third countries is likely to remain one option alongside training and activating local workers.
Practical points from official guidance
The Employment Agency’s official FAQ on employing foreigners states that an employment contract concluded with a third-country worker takes effect from the date the worker’s residence document is issued, and that the contract should include an explicit clause stating this. It also says documents on education, qualifications and experience issued abroad must be legalised in the appropriate way and accompanied by a certified Bulgarian translation. These are existing rules, not new ones.
What is still unclear
The figures in this article come from a think-tank analysis as reported by a news agency; we did not check the underlying Eurostat, Employment Agency or Migration Directorate datasets. Different sources count differently (active permits at year-end versus permits issued during the year), so the numbers are not directly comparable. The analysis does not change any law, fee or procedure. Each hiring case, permit route and contract needs to be checked individually against current official requirements.
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Workers pay no recruitment fees through WorkMarket.eu. Every cross-border move or legal start of work needs individual review by a person; no worker is automatically eligible for a job or permit in Bulgaria.