All professional routes lead to Bulgaria!

So you’re a high-tech professional with a considerable amount of expertise, great! Now, the million-dollar question: Where would you want to go to earn big money? Well, there are places galore, but the newest addition to the band of high-paying nations for foreigners is Bulgaria! Yes, the European country which has shied away from attention since a long time now comes out in full force on the global professional map. In an interesting turn of events, Bulgaria’s parliament – approving the second reading of the Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Bill – said on April 13th, that highly qualified employees, particularly those belonging to the technological field, will be eligible to draw in thrice the average salaries based on the previous 12 months. Interestingly, the bill deals with some highly useful and beneficial laws, particularly in favour of immigrants. It mainly seems to concern foreign employees who are employed by Bulgarian employers or who have been subjected to intra-corporate transfer to the country. Additionally, it addresses the issues related to the employment of non-EU foreigners, the employment of Bulgarians abroad, taking into account the European Union directives and also the need for the consolidated law rather than the current fragmentation of legislation on employing foreigners, scattered through various items of Bulgarian legislation. What’s more, foreigners with exceptional educational and professional excellence will be issued a Special Blue Card for working in the Bulgarian state. However, these Blue Card holders must only work in Bulgaria for the first two years. Further, refugees with official status, accredited correspondents of foreign media and some sections of foreign nationals residing in the country will not need any authorisation to access the labour market. Foreign employees are entitled to obtain the Work Permit for one year; however, it can be extended over the stipulated time frame if the conditions of work and labour remain the same as it was in the initial stage of issuance. However, it’s pivotal to note that foreigners cannot occupy positions that are exclusively reserved for Bulgarian nationals. Also, the Bulgarian employers may not hire immigrant employees if their company’s labour force crosses the decided 10% foreign employee mark during a period of one year. Overall, the new foreign employees and work permit rules help several talented people from all over the world. The people who are eligible for maximum benefit are foreigners who are entitled to employment, and researchers, students and trainees who are endowed with the right to access the labour market.