BulgariaResidence permit

Seasonal worker permit in Bulgaria

The seasonal work permit in Bulgaria is issued to foreign nationals for employment lasting from ninety days to nine months within each twelve-month period. The employer or their representative files the documents with the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior, which agrees the issue with the Employment Agency. The permit may be extended once if the employment contract continues. The employer is responsible for making sure the working conditions meet Bulgarian standards and for providing accommodation and transport.

Visa term

Up to nine months.

Threshold

A long-stay permit costs EUR 56.24, the card EUR 20.45.

Work

The permit gives the right to seasonal work

Source: Ministry of the Interior, Migration Directorate — Разрешения за пребиваване и работа

Two forms of seasonal employment

Different procedures apply depending on the length of the seasonal contract.

Seasonal work of up to 90 days

A simplified administrative procedure
No D visa is required
No residence card is issued
An accelerated procedure (up to 30 days)

Seasonal work of 90+ days up to 9 months

A D visa is required before entry
A card for extended stay is issued
Agreement with the Employment Agency
The full administrative procedure (up to 60 days)

When the programme is not a fit

Work in sectors not recognised as seasonal (other than agriculture and the hotel and restaurant business)

Ask the employer to find a position in an eligible sector, or consider another labour migration programme

Breaches of working conditions, or pay that does not meet Bulgarian standards

Negotiate with the employer to bring the conditions into line, or turn the offer down

No guaranteed accommodation and no transport guarantees from the employer

Require written confirmation from the employer that accommodation is provided and transport costs are covered

Documents to gather

The employer or their representative files the following documents with the regional directorate of the Ministry of the Interior:

An application on the standard form (the template is on the Ministry of the Interior website)
A copy of the foreign national's passport
A copy of the page showing the foreign national's registration in a third country (if available)
An employment contract signed by both parties and certified by the employer
A declaration by the employer that suitable accommodation is provided
A certificate that the employer is registered in an eligible economic sector (agriculture or the hotel and restaurant business)
Documents on the foreign national's education, occupation and professional experience (translated and legalised where necessary)
A certificate of the foreign national's professional record

How the process runs

The administrative procedure is split between several authorities and takes up to 60 days for the full process, or up to 30 days for the shortened one.

1
Filing the documents with the Migration Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior
0 days (a single step)
The employer or their authorised representative files the complete set of documents with the regional directorate of the Ministry of the Interior for the place where the company's activity is registered. Documents are accepted in person or by post.
2
Examination by the Ministry of the Interior and referral to the Employment Agency
up to 14 days
The Migration Directorate checks that the documents are complete and passes the file to the Employment Agency for an assessment of access to the labour market.
3
The Employment Agency issues its opinion
10 days (for an initial request) or 5 days (for a repeat request)
The Agency checks that the working conditions meet Bulgarian standards and that accommodation and transport are provided. It issues a written opinion on whether access to the labour market can be granted.
4
The Ministry of the Interior grants or refuses the permit
up to 3 days
The Migration Directorate takes the final decision on the basis of the Agency's opinion and grants the permit or notifies a refusal. If the decision is positive, the foreign national is informed of the time limits for collecting the card (for a stay of more than 90 days).
5
Receiving the residence card (for seasonal work of 90+ days)
up to 10 working days
The foreign national approaches the Ministry of the Interior to collect the physical residence card. The card is needed for work lasting longer than 90 days and is the document confirming that the stay is lawful.

Renewal and the grace period

The permit may be extended once within the same 9-month period, provided the employment contract continues with the same or another employer in an eligible sector. The extension application is filed no later than 30 days before the permit expires. The extension procedure is simplified and takes up to 30 days.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Seasonal worker permit	Trade representative office	Pensioners' residence permit
Visa term	Up to nine months	Usually 1 year, renewed annually	Usually 1 year, renewed annually
Grounds	Seasonal work for a Bulgarian employer	Representative office of a foreign company	Pensioners with sufficient means
Work	The permit gives the right to seasonal work	No; a representative office does not carry on commercial activity	No; a separate ground is needed in order to work

Frequently asked questions about Seasonal worker permit

Can the foreign national file the application themselves, or only the employer?

The application is filed by the employer or their authorised representative. In the cases provided for by law (for example where the employer is an individual with no representative) the foreign national may file the documents jointly with the employer, but the initiative remains with the employer.

In which sectors is work possible on a seasonal worker permit?

The permit is issued only for seasonal work in agriculture, including forestry and fishing, and in the hotel and restaurant business. The employer has to be registered and actively operating in one of these sectors.

How long does the whole process take?

For seasonal work of 90 days the procedure may take up to 30 days. For seasonal work of more than 90 days (which requires a card and a D visa) the full procedure takes up to 60 days, plus the time needed to obtain the D visa at the consulate (usually 5-20 days). Employers are advised to start the process 60-90 days before the intended start of work.

What happens if the employer does not provide accommodation or transport?

Failure to provide accommodation, and the employer's inability to prove that transport costs are covered, are grounds for refusing the permit. The Employment Agency is obliged to check these conditions. If the employer breaches the obligations after the permit has been granted, the foreign national may complain to the Ministry of the Interior, which may lead to the permit being cancelled and the employer being penalised.

Can the permit be extended more than once?

No. The permit may be extended once within a single 9-month period. If the foreign national wishes to continue working in the next season, a new permit is required and the procedure starts again.

Other ways to move to Bulgaria

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Bulgaria.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.