Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Over 108,000 workers from 64 non-EU countries have come to Bulgaria in 6 years

Photo: BTA

The import of manpower from non-EU countries is record high, but does not cover the needs of the business sector. Since the beginning of the year, 4,202 third-country nationals have been registered for seasonal employment alone. This is 40% of the registered seasonal employment for the entire year of 2024. The data was provided by the Minister of Social Affairs Borislav Gutsanov in response to a parliamentary question.

Over 108,000 foreigners from 65 countries have come to Bulgaria for work in 6 years. In total, 34,720 foreigners were employed in the country under the 9 admission regimes in 2024. 

The highest number - 13,131, used the single residence and work permit, which gives 3-year access to the Bulgarian labour market. In second place in popularity is the simplified procedure for seasonal employment of up to 90 days used for 2024 by 10,403 foreigners.

The largest number of workers are from Uzbekistan - 10,514 from 2019 to 2024, and they work mainly as seasonal workers, in construction and in the processing industry. 

In second place are workers from Turkiye - 10,441 people, as they come as seconded specialists, engineering and technical personnel, and middle-technical personnel, and work mainly in construction and as seasonal workers.



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

It will be a sunny weekend with scattered clouds and a chance of light rain

Early on Saturday, temperatures will range from 11 to 20°C , with a minimum of 11°C in Sofia. There will be low cloud cover and reduced visibility in the lowlands and river valleys in the morning.  The day will be mostly sunny with scattered clouds...

published on 9/12/25 7:05 PM

Sofia City Court rules to keep Varna mayor Blagomir Kotsev in detention

The Sofia City Court rejected Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev's request to amend his preventive measure of "detention in custody" and remanded him in custody, BTA reported. The ruling is not final and is subject to appeal. Sofia City Court receives..

published on 9/12/25 6:16 PM

Drone has been found on the North Beach in Bulgaria's Burgas

A drone surfaced today on the North Beach in Burgas, a Bulgarian National Radio team reported. According to senior rescuer Petar Rusev, the machine was spotted in an unguarded area of ​​the beach in the direction of Solnitsei. The signal for a..

published on 9/12/25 6:10 PM