The Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development – CEED Bulgaria, in partnership with the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), held a working video conference as part of the project “Functionally Sustainable Migration and Integration in Bulgaria” (FSMI in Bulgaria). The main focus of the meeting was the coordination of upcoming activities and joint actions under the project.
A key highlight was the planning of a national round table, scheduled to take place on September 25, 2025, in Sofia. The event will be hybrid, allowing both in-person and online participation. It will bring together representatives of government institutions, international and non-governmental organizations, academia, employers, and industry associations involved in the integration of foreign labor in Bulgaria.
During the round table, the results of a national survey conducted earlier this year will be presented. The survey gathered insights from Bulgarian companies regarding their attitudes toward employing third-country nationals. Preliminary data indicate that over 78% of Bulgarian employers face a shortage of workforce, and 64% are willing to hire workers from third countries. Employers emphasize the need for workers with professional experience and qualifications (52%), knowledge of the Bulgarian language (22%), as well as relevant education and specific skills.
The event will also address key issues related to labor market challenges and opportunities for importing workforce from countries such as Uzbekistan, India, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, China, and others. CEED Bulgaria is actively working with its partners to develop sustainable solutions that facilitate the process of attracting and integrating third-country nationals into the Bulgarian labor market.
During the meeting, the project partners also finalized a methodology aimed at reducing administrative burdens associated with the employment of foreign workers and planned a series of informational events to be held across the country before the end of the project.
