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non EU, EAA or Swiss citizens
Foreigners – non EU/EAA or Swiss citizens have the right of employment on the territory of Republic of Bulgaria if they:
Are hired by an employer in accordance with the Labour Codex
Are commissioned for a particular term by a foreign employer to offer services on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria
Are commissioned for a particular term by a foreign employer to offer services on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria
Wish to be self-employed
Foreign citizens’ employment in Republic of Bulgaria is regulated in the Employment Promotion Act and related sub-legal acts of the Council of Ministers.Foreigners can only be employed after a work permit is issued by the National Employment Agency (NEA).
Work Permits for Foreigners.
Foreign citizens are entitled to employment in the Republic of Bulgaria only after receiving an NEA work permit.
A work permit would be granted only to individuals who possess skills or specialized knowledge, required for a specific position, but which could not be found on the national labour market.
A work permit is only issued upon request by an employer. The employer could be a physical or legal entity, registered in accordance with Bulgarian legislation, or upon request of legal entity, registered in accordance with Bulgarian legislation, which is a party to an active inter-company treaty with international legal entity who is the employer of the foreigner. The relevant application should be submitted in the Labour Office Directorates (LOD ) in accordance with the foreign employee’s place of work.
The work permit is an official personal document and gives the right of employment in the Republic of Bulgaria for a pre-determined period of time in a particular work placement, with a defined official employer, which is a physical or legal entity registered under Bulgarian law and who has made the request for the work permit to be issued.
The work permit is issued for a period of up-to-one year, with the possibility of an extension for up to three years for executive personnel and more then three years for managerial level positions.
The Work Permit is a basis to issue an entry clearance and residence permit with the same duration as the work permit, by the relevant authorities.
Alleviation of the conditions to issue a work permit applies for the following:
A foreigner, whose employment on the country’s territory originates from the implementation of international treaties
Internationally renowned scholars and intellectuals
High managerial personnel of companies established by foreign legal entities on Bulgarian territory.
Foreign company specialists employed in assembly, repair and taking into operation of imported equipment.
Specialists in production quality assessment.
There is a legally set fee for issuing a work permit.
In accordance with article 40 of the “Law for Foreign Nationals in the Republic of Bulgaria” (LFNRB), foreign nationals, physical or legal entities, employed without appropriate permits are subject to sanctions.
There are cases when foreigners seeking employment in Bulgaria do not need work permits and that is reflected in the legal framework.
Exempt are foreigners who have permanent residence status in the Republic of Bulgaria or have been granted asylum or other humanitarian status.
Information in this section is provided by Human Value International. 
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