Bulgaria Seeks 50,000 Foreign Workers to Support Summer Tourism Season

Key Highlights

1. Bulgaria is experiencing widespread labour shortages, with the tourism sector being the most heavily impacted across all economic industries.

2. Entrepreneur Marin Demirovski estimates that 50,000 foreign workers are needed to sustain and revive the country’s tourism industry.

3. Demirovski noted that labour shortages are a common challenge throughout the entire European Union.

Bulgaria is currently grappling with significant labour shortages across all economic sectors, with the tourism industry suffering the most.

Entrepreneur Marin Demirovski stressed that in order to support and stabilize the tourism sector, Bulgaria urgently needs to bring in approximately 50,000 international workers.

According to Demirovski, this is not a problem unique to Bulgaria—labour shortages are being felt across all European Union countries.

"There is a shortage of personnel in virtually every sector in Bulgaria. Companies are actively working to hire foreign staff. This trend is not limited to our country—there is a demand for workers across the EU,"
— Marin Demirovski

He also pointed out that the international workforce coming to Bulgaria represents a wide range of skill levels, from low-skilled labourers to highly qualified professionals such as IT specialists and engineers. Most foreign workers originate from Türkiye, Central Asia, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and the Balkan region.

However, Demirovski highlighted a critical bottleneck in the state administrative system, which he says is ill-prepared to handle the growing demand. The process of securing work authorization can take six to nine months, creating serious challenges for businesses—especially those dependent on seasonal labour.

"The administrative system itself is understaffed and poorly organized. Numerous institutions are involved in the process, leading to a lack of coordination and delays. Legal reforms are also urgently needed,"
— Marin Demirovski

Tourism Sector Employs Most Foreign Workers

Earlier this month, Atanas Katsarchev, Chief Economist at the Confederation of Labour "Podkrepa", stated that most foreign workers in Bulgaria are currently employed in the tourism, construction, and transport sectors.

In an interview with Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), Katsarchev noted that the healthcare sector may soon become another major employer of international staff.

Under current Bulgarian law, large companies are permitted to hire up to 75% foreign workers, while small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can employ up to 35% of their workforce from abroad.

Over 36,000 Foreign Workers in Bulgaria in 2024

According to Atanaska Todorova, Chief Expert in “Labour Market, Migration, and Mobility” at the Confederation of Bulgarian Trade Unions, around 36,000 work permits were issued to foreign nationals in Bulgaria in 2024.

These permits were granted to citizens from 79 countries, with the largest numbers going to nationals of Türkiye (8,000), followed by Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, and Moldova.