Visas & Customs Requirements

Employment:

Apply for a Type D visa(working visa) at the Ministry of Interior within 90 or 30 days of your arrival. An application requires a number of documents, including the following:

1. the application form and two passport-size photographs;


2. a current passport;


3. evidence of having formed a limited company, a certified copy of the company’s tax registration document and a court certificate that the company is solvent, and evidence that you’ve hired Bulgarian citizens;


4. a certificate from the National Social Security Institute that you’re contributing to social security and have no outstanding tax payments;


5. a certificate from the tax office showing the amount of taxes paid (if applicable);


6. a recent bank statement and a bank certificate that you’re solvent;


7. evidence of accommodation in Bulgaria and the address.

Employment Situation:

Bulgarian companies recruit significant numbers of graduates, but most of those leaving Bulgarian universities will have Masters Qualifications. Currently, there are few opportunities for foreigners to find graduate jobs in Bulgaria, although some international companies have non-Bulgarians in senior positions. However, these staff are usually recruited elsewhere and subsequently transferred to offices in Bulgaria.

According to the Bulgarian Agency for Economic Analysis and Forecasting, the official level of unemployment in April 2007 was 9.6% of the country’s workforce, the lowest figure since September 1991.

Working practices and customs:

1. The standard working week is 40 hours in five working days.
2. The standard working day is eight hours with a minimum break of 30 minutes.
3. Offices and banks are open from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
4. Major shops are open from 10am to 8pm on weekdays, 10am to 5pm on Saturdays and many are also open on Sundays. Supermarkets are open from 9am to 10pm and many small local shops (usually family owned and operated) are open 24 hours and on public holidays.
5. There are 13 public holidays, including Labour Day (1 May) and Independence Day (22 September).
6. The minimum annual leave entitlement is 20 working days.

Teaching Positions:

There are opportunities for teaching English in Bulgaria. Learning a foreign language is obligatory and begins at primary school. It is common to find secondary schools that specialize in particular languages such as English, German and, less often, French. Recently there has been an increase in demand for learning Spanish as a foreign language. At university, students study at least one foreign language and must achieve a specified level of competence before they can graduate.

English is now the most popular option with 70% of each cohort studying the language. There are many private schools in Bulgaria interested in employing English language assistants. There may also be opportunities through the Bulgarian Ministry of Education on a variety of European Union projects.

Obtaining the Ministry of Labor's Authorization to Work:

To work in Bulgaria, you will need a work permit, issued by the Bulgarian Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, which will allow you to apply for Type D visa allowing you to stay for 12 months (see above). If you plan to work in Bulgaria for a salary, your potential employer will organize a work permit, which will usually be dependent on the job being one that cannot be filled by a Bulgarian (e.g. teaching English).

Foreign nationals who generally do not require a work permit in Bulgaria:

1. Managers of companies or branches of foreign legal entities
2. Members of the Managing Board or Board of Directors of local companies, who are not employed on a labour contract
3. Trade representatives of foreign companies registered at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
4. Foreign nationals with permanent residence in Bulgaria

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