Procedures / Seasonal employment

Seasonal employment of non-EU workers

Seasonal employment allows Bulgarian employers in certain economic sectors to hire third-country nationals for work associated with a seasonal increase in staffing needs.

Depending on the duration of employment, a registration procedure applies for up to 90 days, or a seasonal worker permit procedure for more than 90 days and up to 9 months.

EU HIRE identifies the applicable procedure and coordinates recruitment, documentation and administrative steps through to arrival and preparations for starting work.

Discuss your seasonal staffing needs

The key decision

Two procedures based on duration

Up to 90 days

Seasonal employment registration

seasonal work for up to 90 days;
registration with the Employment Agency;
based on an employer’s declaration;
confirmation by endorsement of the declaration within 10 days;
visa requirements are checked for the individual candidate.

More than 90 days, up to 9 months

Seasonal worker permit

for a longer seasonal period;
a permit procedure for residence and work;
involvement of the Employment Agency through the relevant opinion;
the permit is issued by the Ministry of Interior;
the Visa D stage is coordinated where applicable.

Scope of application

Which sectors are covered by the seasonal procedure?

Agriculture, forestry and fishing

Hospitality and catering

Not all temporary work is seasonal work within the meaning of the law. The specific activity and applicable requirements are checked before the procedure begins.

Important for employers

Facilitated access for seasonal employment

20%

general limit for employers

35%

general limit for small and medium-sized enterprises

The legislation provides facilitated labour market access for eligible seasonal activities. The general numerical limits of 20% for employers and 35% for small and medium-sized enterprises do not apply under the general rules to these seasonal activities.

The activity’s eligibility and the individual case are checked before the procedure begins. All other applicable legal requirements continue to apply.

01 / PROCESS

How EU HIRE manages seasonal recruitment

We clarify your seasonal needs

We establish the roles, headcount, employment period and the employer’s specific requirements.

We identify the appropriate procedure

We check whether the staffing need falls under the procedure for up to 90 days or the permit procedure for more than 90 days and up to 9 months, and whether the activity meets the applicable conditions for seasonal employment.

We organise international recruitment

We organise candidate recruitment according to the roles, employment period and the employer’s requirements.

You approve the candidates

The employer reviews and approves candidates before proceeding to the next stages.

We coordinate the documentation and procedure

According to the applicable procedure, we coordinate document preparation, registration or the permit process, and the required visa stage.

We prepare for arrival and starting work

We coordinate the necessary steps with the candidate and employer before arrival and the lawful start of work.

02 / DOCUMENTATION

What documents are required?

Employer documents

employer information;
the applicable declaration or application;
the role and seasonal employment period;
an employment contract or job offer, depending on the procedure;
the required declarations and accommodation documents, where applicable;
additional documents according to the specific procedure.

Candidate documents

valid passport;
visa documents, where applicable;
insurance at the applicable stage;
other documents required for the specific procedure.

Once the roles, employment period and candidates have been established, EU HIRE provides a specific checklist for the relevant procedure.

A practical guide

Which procedure is suitable?

We clarify the duration and nature of the work, then check the applicable requirements.

Previous seasonal employment

Candidates with previous seasonal employment in Bulgaria

For seasonal workers who have lawfully worked in Bulgaria as seasonal workers at least once in the previous 5 years, the legislation provides for an accelerated procedure where the applicable conditions are met.

03 / QUESTIONS

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between seasonal employment for up to 90 days and up to 9 months?

Seasonal work for up to 90 days follows a registration procedure through the Employment Agency. Seasonal work for more than 90 days and up to 9 months follows a seasonal worker permit procedure involving the Employment Agency and the Ministry of Interior.

Which sectors can use the seasonal procedure?

The official list includes activities in agriculture, forestry and fishing, and in accommodation and food services. The specific activity must be checked against the current list.

Does a seasonal worker need a Visa D?

Not under every seasonal procedure. For seasonal employment exceeding 90 days, the visa stage forms part of the applicable extended-residence procedure. For employment of up to 90 days, visa requirements depend on nationality and the individual case. Learn more about Visa D →

Does the 20% / 35% limit apply?

For eligible seasonal activities, the legislation provides facilitated access, and the general percentage limit under the standard procedure does not apply in the same way. EU HIRE checks eligibility for the specific activity and employer.

Can a seasonal worker stay for more than 90 days?

The legislation provides a separate permit procedure for seasonal employment exceeding 90 days, up to a maximum of 9 months within the applicable 12-month period. This is not an automatic extension of registration and requires completion of the relevant procedure.

04 / VERIFIABLE REFERENCES

Official sources

Regulatory monitoring

Last reviewed: 8 September 2026

Official sources: Ministry of Interior, Employment Agency, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, State Gazette and EUR-Lex. Links to the relevant sources are provided above.

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

Do you have seasonal staffing needs?

Tell us the roles, headcount and employment period you need. We will identify the applicable procedure and next steps.