In Search of Effective Mechanisms to Facilitate Bulgarian Employers regarding the Issue of Visas for Labour Force from Third Countries

Tsvetan Simeonov, President of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, held a meeting with Maria Angelieva, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, which was instigated by the problems found with importing labour force from third countries into Bulgaria. The meeting was also attended by Toshko Krustev, Chairman of the Bulgarian-Uzbekistan Friendship Association (BUFA).

The aim of the meeting was to discuss the challenges faced by Bulgarian employers in terms of attracting workers from third countries and issuing long-term and short-term visas.

Tsvetan Simeonov shared that the labour import topic is particularly important and the Chamber supports a series of initiatives along these lines: by sending opinions to the responsible institutions, by holding discussions with the joint chambers and by organizing round-table talks on the issues, among others.

Deputy Minister Angelieva stated that functioning mechanisms are being sought to guarantee the unproblematic arrival of third-country workers in Bulgaria. These measures can also include the conclusion of bilateral agreements with specific countries.

Mr Simeonov declared that BCCI will support every initiative, aimed at shortening the time periods for importing workers from third countries, which is obviously related to financial commitments. At the same time, it is necessary to take steps towards a permanent staff solution to provide security to the consular services, engaged to issue work and tourist visas. The President of BCCI emphasized also the importance of concluding bilateral agreements with third countries to give an additional guarantee for the workers being sent. "The movement of management personnel and the forthcoming elections should not affect the procedure for facilitating the import of labour," Simeonov added further.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs keeps on making every effort to get full legal membership in the Schengen area and strictly fulfills European legislation requirements for the procedure to examine visa applications, as well as to receive and check the whole set of required documents to be presented by every Schengen visa applicant," Deputy Minister Angelieva underlined, adding that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already taken specific actions in order to secure the minimum necessary human resources in the busiest consular services.

At the end of the meeting, the participants united in support of the view that a good foundation had been laid to continue the cooperation for overcoming the existing challenges to hiring third-country workers.