Bulgaria Faces Challenges in Hiring Foreign Workers Despite Schengen Benefits

More than a month after becoming a full member of the Schengen Zone, Bulgaria has experienced several advantages. However, the country is also encountering significant difficulties, particularly in hiring foreign workers for its tourism sector. Bureaucratic inefficiencies, outdated administrative procedures, and a lack of institutional coordination are among the primary obstacles businesses are facing, as highlighted in a report from Novinite. These concerns were raised during a roundtable discussion organized by the Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA (BUBST), focusing on challenges in the tourism industry following Schengen accession.

One of the most pressing issues discussed was the lengthy processing time for work visas. Obtaining a work visa in Bulgaria often takes at least three months, leading many approved foreign workers to abandon the application process before completion. According to some hoteliers and labor recruitment agencies, the excessive documentation requirements create a burden on both businesses and government offices responsible for approvals. A hotelier noted that processing documents for 80 workers required a staggering 1,000 pages, illustrating the bureaucratic complexity involved.

In addition to visa delays, foreign workers face multiple hurdles upon arrival in Bulgaria. Many must visit several different institutions before officially starting their jobs, and obtaining a banking card can take up to two months. Bulgarian labor laws mandate that companies with more than 100 employees pay salaries via bank transfer, yet the prolonged waiting times for banking services mean that some workers go unpaid for extended periods. In cases where employers opt to pay wages in cash to circumvent these delays, they risk facing fines.

Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs acknowledged that the country processes approximately 2.8 million visa applications each year, yet budgetary constraints prevent hiring additional staff. Bulgaria currently operates 85 consular services worldwide but employs only 100 staff members and 70 technical assistants, further exacerbating visa processing delays. Efforts to secure additional funding have so far been unsuccessful, leaving businesses and workers to navigate a slow and inefficient system.

Representatives from the tourism sector argue that Bulgaria’s visa application process is in urgent need of modernization, particularly with the introduction of electronic visa applications to streamline procedures. In response to these concerns, Tourism Minister Miroslav Borshosh announced plans to form a working group to address the administrative and legislative barriers that businesses are facing.

Bulgaria, along with Romania, officially joined the Schengen Zone on January 1, 2025, for land and sea borders, marking a significant milestone for both nations. A report from the Economic Research Institute at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences estimated that full Schengen membership would contribute approximately €833.3 million annually to Bulgaria’s economy. Despite these economic benefits, the challenges in hiring foreign workers remain a pressing issue that the government and businesses must address to fully capitalize on the opportunities that Schengen membership brings.

By fLEXI tEAM