For seasonal employment lasting more than 90 days and up to 9 months, the Ministry of Interior issues a seasonal worker’s permit to third-country nationals.
“Seasonal employment” within the meaning of the Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Act refers to employment that is dependent on changing seasons and tied to a specific time of year due to a recurring event or series of events associated with seasonal conditions, during which the demand for workforce is significantly higher than for regular ongoing work.
Access to the labour market is granted for sectors included in the List of Economic Sectors involving activities that depend on seasonal changes. This list is approved by the Minister of Labour and Social Policy. The current list includes two sectors: agriculture, forestry and fisheries; and hotels and restaurants.
The employer is required to provide the seasonal worker with suitable accommodation that complies with all health and safety standards for the duration of the employment contract. The employer is also obligated to cover, at their own expense, the transportation costs from the seasonal worker’s place of origin to the place of employment in the Republic of Bulgaria and back, as well as the costs of mandatory health insurance and social security contributions of the seasonal worker.