The shortage of labor, cumbersome administrative procedures and the lack of unified coordination between institutions were the focus of the round table on the topic of “Access to the labor market of workers from third countries - challenges and solutions“, organized by the Bulgarian Industrial Chamber (BIC) and the National Tourism Board (NTB) with the support of the Ministry of Tourism.
Among the specific measures that the government intends to introduce are accelerated digitalization of procedures, easing visa requirements, shortening the deadlines for recognition of qualifications, as well as eliminating a number of administrative burdens. Deputy Prime Minister Grozdan Karadjov pointed out the need to expand intergovernmental agreements with countries such as India, Nepal and Uzbekistan, as well as strengthen the capacity of consular services.
Lack of institutional coordination - a systemic problem
It has been repeatedly emphasized that Bulgaria lacks a centralized institution to coordinate labor migration processes. “The 13 current regimes for access to the labor market and the participation of 6 different institutions are creating chaos”, said Zornitsa Rusinova, Chairwoman of the Economic and Social Council.
Denitsa Sacheva, Chairwoman of the Labor Committee in the National Assembly, called for a reorganization of the executive branch and the creation of new staff positions in institutions such as the Employment Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to cope with the avalanche of work. She also presented the legislative initiatives that are expected to be voted on in early June, with the aim of easing the procedures for hiring foreigners for the summer tourist season.
Practical difficulties and signals of abuse
The practical difficulties faced by employers and intermediaries were presented by representatives of the industry. Nikoleta Ivanova from "Internobmen" gave a worrying example of the Indian embassy, where the first possible time for an interview for a work visa is only in January 2026. Signals of corrupt practices and shortcomings in document processing were also raised, and an appeal was made for the introduction of personal identification codes for intermediaries and a centralized electronic system for tracking processes.
Unification around the need for urgent reforms
Economic operators, unions and representatives of institutions united around the thesis that importing labor from third countries is not a universal solution, but an interim tool is needed until longer-term policies are introduced - including education reform, the development of dual training and attracting Bulgarians from abroad.