Bulgaria Approves Moldova Work Migration Agreement

SOFIA, BULGARIA -

The Bulgarian government approved an agreement for work immigration between Bulgaria and Moldova signed in June this year. The legislation will apply to Bulgarians and Moldavians who work in the other country.

The information was released by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. The goal of the agreement is to strengthen the economies where there are workforce deficits, an often-reported problem in Bulgaria's business environment. The changes make it possible for Moldavians workers to be hired in Bulgaria without special permission for 1 year with a possibility to extend that period to 3 years. Seasonal employment is also made easier for a 9-month period. In effect, the employed foreign workers will have the same contracts as the local ones.

Work migration laws have been a major topic of debate in Bulgarian politics. Many able-bodied Bulgarians choose to work abroad an send money back home, the sum of which was €1.1 billion in 2017. Of course, this creates a local vacuum of job positions.