Are there limits on how many foreign workers a Bulgarian employer can hire?

Bulgarian rules cap the share of an employer's workforce that can be made up of third-country nationals on long-term residence permits. The general ceiling is around 20% of the average number of employees over the preceding 12 months.

For small and medium-sized enterprises this limit is raised to roughly 35%, recognising that smaller firms have fewer staff overall. If you are being recruited, it is worth confirming that the employer still has room within these quotas, because a company that has reached its cap may not be able to add another single-permit hire.