Procedures / Single residence and work permit
Single residence and work permit
The single residence and work permit (SRWP) is the main administrative procedure around which EU HIRE organises its long-term recruitment service for third-country nationals, where the applicable conditions are met. It combines the right of residence and access to the Bulgarian labour market in a single procedure.
Explore our service for employers and the agreed scope of support.
* A single residence and work permit may be issued for up to 3 years. For a shorter employment contract, the permit is issued for the duration of the contract. The decision is made by the competent public authorities.
Key points at a glance
Who it is for
Third-country nationals employed under an employment contract by a local employer.
Issued by
The Ministry of Interior.
Permit duration
Up to 3 years or, for a shorter employment contract, for the duration of that contract.
Responsibilities and oversight
Who is responsible for what
The employer
Defines the role and conditions, selects and approves candidates, and provides the required employer documents.
EU HIRE
Organises international recruitment and coordinates preparation, documentation and the administrative stages of the applicable procedure.
The competent authorities
Check the legal conditions and decide whether to issue or refuse the permit.
01 / COORDINATION
How EU HIRE manages the process
We organise the documentation, institutional stages and next steps into a clear sequence of actions.
01
Submitting the application
EU HIRE prepares the required documentation and, once duly authorised by the employer, submits the application to the Migration Directorate or the relevant Migration unit of the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior.
02
Document checks
We monitor the application’s progress and, where additional documents are required, coordinate with the employer and candidate to provide them within the specified deadline.
03
Employment Agency opinion
Once the file has been sent to the Employment Agency for its opinion, we monitor that stage and coordinate the necessary steps if further documents are requested.
04
Preparing for Visa D
Following a positive outcome at the relevant stage, and where EU HIRE is authorised to act in the case, we obtain and coordinate the information needed to proceed to the Visa D stage. We prepare the candidate for the next steps and monitor the deadlines in the process.
05
Arrival
Once the required visa has been issued, we coordinate preparations for arrival and the necessary steps after the candidate enters Bulgaria.
06
Final steps for the permit
We coordinate the final steps with Migration until the single residence and work permit is issued, and inform the employer of the necessary next steps before work begins.
Important for employers
The applicable limit is checked for each case
Under the general procedure, the applicable statutory limits may restrict the proportion of third-country nationals employed by the local employer.
20%
under the general rule
35%
for small and medium-sized enterprises
Statutory exceptions may apply. The employer, role and applicable procedure must be checked before the process begins.
02 / DOCUMENTATION
What documents are required
The exact set of documents depends on the role, candidate and applicable requirements. The main categories are:
Employer documents
- justification or information about the need for the employment, where applicable;
- information and declarations about staffing and employed third-country nationals;
- employment-related declarations;
- employment contract and job description;
- other documents according to the role and individual case.
Candidate documents
- valid passport;
- criminal record certificate, where applicable;
- evidence of qualifications, education and experience, where applicable;
- the required translations and legalisation;
- accommodation and insurance documents at the relevant stage;
- documents for a regulated profession, where applicable.
Once the role and candidate have been established, EU HIRE provides a specific checklist for the case.
03 / SERVICE
How EU HIRE supports you
Preparation
We clarify the employer information required for the specific role.
Documentation
We identify any missing information in the individual checklist.
Employment procedure
We inform the employer of the steps required if additional documents are requested.
Visa and arrival
Our proposal specifies the included arrival arrangements and any services agreed separately.
04 / QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
What is a single residence and work permit?
The single residence and work permit combines the right of residence and access to the Bulgarian labour market in one procedure for a third-country national employed by a local employer, where the legal conditions are met.
For how long can a single residence and work permit be issued?
A single residence and work permit may be issued for up to 3 years. Where the employment contract is shorter, the permit is issued for the duration of the contract. The decision is made by the competent public authorities.
Does the employer choose the candidates?
Yes. EU HIRE organises shortlisting and presents suitable candidates, while the employer decides whom to approve. The administrative process for an individual candidate starts after that approval.
How long does the procedure take?
The procedure has statutory and administrative deadlines, but the overall time until work can lawfully begin also depends on document readiness, the visa stage, the relevant consular service and the circumstances of the case. A single overall timeframe therefore cannot be promised.
Is a Visa D required?
Where the candidate is subject to the applicable visa requirements, a Visa D forms part of the process after the relevant positive stage or opinion. Individual circumstances and any existing right of residence may affect the steps required.
Who submits the application?
As part of its service, EU HIRE prepares and, following the necessary authorisation by the employer, submits the documents for the procedure and coordinates the subsequent administrative steps.
Can an employer hire an unlimited number of non-EU workers?
Under the general rule, the proportion is limited to 20%, or 35% for small and medium-sized enterprises, of the relevant average headcount. The law provides exceptions for certain categories and procedures, so each case must be checked.
Can the worker start immediately after the employer approves them?
No. Candidate approval is one stage of the process. The applicable requirements for residence and access to the labour market must be met before work can lawfully begin.
05 / VERIFIABLE REFERENCES
Official sources
- Ministry of Interior — Migration Directorate / Residence and work permits
- Employment Agency — official information
- Ministry of Labour and Social Policy — General employment procedure for third-country nationals
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Documents required for Visa D
- State Gazette — applicable legislation
Regulatory monitoring
Last reviewed: 14 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 a specific case to discuss?
Tell us which workers you need, and we will discuss a suitable procedure and the next steps.