Bulgaria and Georgia signed an agreement on regulation of labor migration

Bulgaria and Georgia signed an Agreement on Regulation of Labor Migration. The document was signed by the Minister of Labor and Social Policy Biser Petkov and and his Georgian counterpart, Ekaterine Tikaradze in Tbilisi on 1 October 2019. The purpose of the document is to create an additional opportunity to provide workers for sectors of the economy where there is a labor shortage.

The agreement will apply to workers from Bulgaria and Georgia who have a contract of employment under this document and hold the necessary residence permit in the territory of the other country. The regulations regulate the employment of Georgian workers in Bulgaria and Bulgarians in Georgia for a period of up to one year, with the possibility of subsequently permitting residence for a total term of up to three years. The exchange of seasonal staff for up to nine months a year is also regulated.

The entry, residence and employment of nationals of Bulgaria and Georgia will be governed by the national law of the host country. Employees can be accompanied by their family members.

Workers hired under the Agreement will have the same labor rights and obligations and workplace protections that apply to local workers. Their remuneration and working conditions will be determined individually in the employment contracts concluded.

The competent ministries of Bulgaria and Georgia will exchange information on job offers received in the respective country. The institutions will cooperate in the selection of potential workers and in the signing of employment contracts by the selected candidates. They will be informed in their own language of working conditions, residence, housing and return.

Job offers will contain information on the economic sector and the geographical region in which the activity will take place, the number of employees to be employed, the qualifications sought, and more.

Prior to the signing ceremony, Minister Petkov and Minister Tikaradze held a meeting during which they expressed satisfaction with the partnership between Bulgaria and Georgia in the field of the labor market and labor migration and a desire to expand cooperation in the future.