Hiring Third-Party Workforce in the Context of the Future of Employment in Bulgaria – Topic of a Chamber Meeting

Tsvetan Simeonov, President of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), held a working meeting with Mr. Niraj Kumar, Coordinator for Bulgaria and neighboring countries of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and President of the Association for the Development of Business and Cultural Relations between India and Bulgaria. The main objective of the meeting was to discuss activities aimed at expanding the economic exchange between the two countries.

Mr. Julian Bedzhev, Chief Operating Officer of a company recruiting personnel for the transport sector from India, Pakistan, and Nepal, also participated in the meeting. During the discussion, challenges related to the recruitment and import of labor to Bulgaria were raised. The company frequently experiences work visa rejections, some of which are given without explanation.

The participants discussed the procedures for recruiting workers, as well as for applying for and obtaining permits and work visas. They noted that the system is complex, involving multiple institutions, and that obstacles arise on a daily basis, highlighting the need for improvement. BCCI welcomed the expansion of consular services in key labor-supplying countries as a positive step but emphasized that further improvements are needed to shorten processing times and reduce administrative burdens.

Mr. Simeonov explained that BCCI is implementing a project funded by the Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund (AMIF) at the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Bulgaria and the European Union, focusing on ensuring sustainable migration and integration in the country. BCCI and CEED Bulgaria, as project activities implementers, held an event on September 25, 2025, dedicated to issues related to the sustainable migration and integration.