Procedures / Legal framework
Legal framework for hiring non-EU workers
Key legislation and official sources relating to the employment of non-EU workers.
A practical guide to the regulatory framework
Which rules are relevant to your case?
Links to employment procedures and the visa stage. Applicability is checked for each employer and candidate.
01 / SINGLE RESIDENCE AND WORK PERMIT
Single residence and work permit
A procedure for long-term employment. Under Article 24i(2) of the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, the permit is valid for up to 3 years or, for a shorter employment contract, for the duration of that contract.
A procedure involving the Ministry of Interior / Migration Directorate and the Employment Agency.
02 / VISA D
Visa D
The visa stage before arrival in Bulgaria, where a long-stay visa applies to the relevant residence and employment procedure.
Applications are made at the competent Bulgarian diplomatic or consular mission.
03 / SEASONAL EMPLOYMENT
Seasonal employment
A specific procedure for eligible seasonal activities: up to 90 days, or more than 90 days and up to 9 months, depending on the case.
The procedure involves the Employment Agency and, for longer seasonal employment, the Ministry of Interior.
From rules to action
How EU HIRE works with regulatory requirements
We check the applicable procedure
Not every role, employment duration or candidate follows the same procedure. We clarify the circumstances before starting.
We monitor current requirements
We check current official sources for the applicable documents, conditions and administrative steps.
We turn the rules into a practical process
The employer and candidate receive clear next steps and a specific checklist for their case.
Verifiable references
Legislation and official sources
- Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act — Article 24i
- Labour Migration and Labour Mobility ActLabour market access · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy
- Regulations for implementing the Labour Migration and Labour Mobility ActImplementation of employment procedures · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy
- Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria ActEntry, residence and permits · Ministry of Interior
- Regulations for implementing the Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria ActImplementing regulations · Ministry of Interior
- Visa legislationVisa D and visa procedures · Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Migration DirectorateAdministrative services relating to residence
- Employment AgencyLabour market access
- Directive (EU) 2024/1233Single procedure and rights · EUR-Lex
Regulatory monitoring
Last reviewed: 14 September 2026
EU HIRE monitors official sources for changes to legislation, implementing regulations, visa requirements and administrative procedures relating to the employment of third-country nationals.
When a material change is identified, we review the affected procedure pages and update their content after checking the official source.
We monitor: Ministry of Interior · Employment Agency · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy · Ministry of Foreign Affairs · State Gazette · EUR-Lex
This information is provided for general information purposes. For a specific case, the applicable requirements should be checked against current legislation and the individual circumstances.
Next step
Not sure which procedure applies?
Tell us which workers you need, for how long and for which roles. EU HIRE will clarify the applicable procedure and next steps.