In order to legally work in Bulgaria as a highly qualified professional via the so called Blue Card of the EU work and residence permit you must first obtain a work permit. In order to qualify for such you must hold at least a 3 years bachelor degree from an officially recognized university and a job offer from a Bulgarian employer. Work permits in Bulgaria are processed through the Migration Department (MD) and Employment Agency (EA).
Let’s say you receive a job offer you want to accept. Firstly, your potential employer should apply for your work permit for highly qualified professionals at the Migration Directorate. This is done through the MD office depending on the residential address which will be used by the employee. The documents are submitted only in hard copies. Only original or notary verified documents are accepted. The application can be done directly from the employer or through your Immigration provider. The employer submits various company documents together with translated and legalized education documents of the employee. The processing time officially is up to 60 days but this can be delayed in case the authorities request additional documents.
Then, once these documents have been approved, you can prepare your visa application documents, book an interview at the closest to you Bulgarian Embassy or consulate and submit the application within 20 days from receiving the MD decision. The processing time for the visa is up to 45 calendar days, usually faster.
After receiving your visa you can now enter Bulgaria and continue with the application for your local residence permit type Blue Card. The application takes places at the Migration Office responsible for your Bulgarian residence address. You can’t start officially work until you have obtained your residency card so it is advisable that you apply as soon as you arrive in the country. The review of the application documents takes up to 7 days and another 3 to 30 days (depending on the type of service you pay for) for issuing of your new ID card. As soon as you receive your Blue Card you can start your employment
The validity of this type of work permits is up to 4 years and it is one of the most favorable ways to legally work in Bulgaria.