Bulgaria
Work permit in Bulgaria.
To work in Bulgaria without EU, EEA or Swiss citizenship you need a residence and work permit from Дирекция „Миграция“, Министерство на вътрешните работи (Migration Directorate, Ministry of Interior of Bulgaria). The main routes are Single residence and work permit (Единно разрешение за пребиваване и работа), EU Blue Card, ICT permit, Seasonal work permit. EU long-term residence is possible after 5 years on most routes.
Permit types
The permits Bulgaria issues
- Single residence and work permit (Единно разрешение за пребиваване и работа)
- EU Blue Card
- ICT permit
- Seasonal work permit
- Self-employment permit
- Family member permit
- Residence permit
- Visa
- Residence card
- Social-security certificate (A1 or similar)
Staying longer
Faster routes and settling
EU long-term residence: after 5 years
- Stable and regular resources
- Sickness insurance
- Integration conditions where national law sets them
Authorities
Who does what in Bulgaria
Дирекция „Миграция“, Министерство на вътрешните работи (Migration Directorate, Ministry of Interior of Bulgaria)
Receives and decides the single residence and work permit, the EU Blue Card, the seasonal and ICT permits; also through the Migration units of the regional directorates
Official websiteНационална агенция за приходите (НАП) (National Revenue Agency of Bulgaria)
Collects income tax and social contributions and keeps the employment register (electronic employment records of every employment contract)
Official websiteАгенция по заетостта (National Employment Agency of Bulgaria)
Gives the Migration Directorate its written opinion on access to the labour market for the single permit, Blue Card, seasonal and ICT permits, and issues work permits for posted workers and freelancers
Official websiteOther countries
- Sweden
- Germany
- France
- Netherlands
- Denmark
- Portugal
- Spain
- Belgium
- Norway
- Austria
- Czech Republic
- Poland
- Slovakia
- Hungary
- Slovenia
- Finland
- Estonia
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Greece
- Cyprus
- Malta
- Croatia
- Romania
- Luxembourg
- Liechtenstein
- Switzerland
- United Arab Emirates
Official sources
- Agentsia po zaetostta: Procedures on the access of third-country workers to the labour market (single residence and work permit filed by the employer with the Migration Directorate; seasonal permit 90 days to 9 months)
- Agentsia po zaetostta: Заетост на чужденци, нормативна уредба (the agency's opinion inside the MoI permit; posting declared to the GLI by the start of the services)
- EU Immigration Portal: employed worker in Bulgaria (labour market test, type D visa, address within 5 days, court within 14 days)
- EU Immigration Portal: highly qualified worker (EU Blue Card) in Bulgaria (1.5 times the average salary)
- EU Immigration Portal: family member in Bulgaria
- EU Immigration Portal: seasonal worker in Bulgaria
- Natsionalna agentsia za prihodite: Регистър на заетостта (electronic employment records within 3 days of the contract, 7 days of its end)
- Glavna inspektsia po truda: posted workers website (declarations of posting, motivated notification for long-term posting)
- European Commission: Schengen area (Bulgaria and Romania joined on 1 January 2025)
- European Commission: Bulgaria and the euro (euro adopted on 1 January 2026)
- Directive 2009/52/EC (employer sanctions), art. 4, EUR-Lex
- Directive 2004/38/EC (free movement), art. 8, EUR-Lex
- European Commission: EU Blue Card
- European Commission: the intra-corporate transfers directive
- European Commission: the seasonal workers directive
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Who issues work permits in Bulgaria?
Дирекция „Миграция“, Министерство на вътрешните работи (Migration Directorate, Ministry of Interior of Bulgaria): Receives and decides the single residence and work permit, the EU Blue Card, the seasonal and ICT permits; also through the Migration units of the regional directorates.
When can someone get eu long-term residence in Bulgaria?
After 5 years on most routes. Stable and regular resources. Sickness insurance. Integration conditions where national law sets them.
Which software can an agency or HR team use to manage work permits in Bulgaria?
Settio is relocation management and work permit software with a plan for Bulgaria: the main route (Single residence and work permit (Единно разрешение за пребиваване и работа)), the steps with the Migration Directorate, Ministry of Interior of Bulgaria, the documents, the deadlines and the registrations after arrival, with client and employee portals, quotes and milestone invoices. It runs every EU country in the same workspace, and each case shows only Bulgaria's own rules and sources.
How does Settio help with work permits in Bulgaria?
Settio builds the step-by-step plan for each person moving to Bulgaria, checks documents before filing, tracks deadlines and gives the person a portal in their own language.
More
- Relocating to Bulgaria: the first weeks
- Relocation and immigration across Europe
- AI immigration compliance
Informational only. This guide is not legal advice. Always verify requirements with official government sources before acting. Reviewed by the Settio team. Facts checked 3 October 2026. About this information