Bulgaria · Work
Bulgaria Seasonal worker permit
First stay: 9 mo
Long-term residence permit for seasonal workers (Art. 24k)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Seasonal worker permit is a work route for Bulgaria. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Processing
- Up to 14 days
- First stay
- 9 mo
Time and long term
Renewal9 months max, no extension
Stay is limited to 9 months in any 12 months and can be extended only once within that limit.
Permanent residenceTime here doesn't count
Seasonal work periods do not count toward long-term resident status.
ProcessingUp to 14 days
Applications for prolonged residence permits are examined within 14 days; complex cases can be extended by one more month.
Where to applyFrom abroad
Obtain the long-stay Visa D at a Bulgarian consulate, then apply for the residence permit from the Migration Directorate in Bulgaria.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Can't be renewed: 9 months in total at most
- Time on this route doesn't count toward permanent residence
- Applications are made from outside Bulgaria, not after arriving
- Needs a job offer from an employer in Bulgaria
- Not open to EU, EEA or Swiss passports
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- Workers meet the conditions for access to the labour market and live outside Bulgaria when applying.
- The employer operates in an economic sector on the official seasonal-work list.
Documents2
- A fixed-term employment contract signed by both parties and a job description are submitted.
- A declaration from the employer on suitable housing and on pay and conditions is submitted.
Steps2
- The employer or authorised person files the application at the Migration Directorate.
- Workers who did seasonal work in Bulgaria in the last 5 years get an accelerated procedure.
After you arrive2
- The permit runs for the contract term, at least 90 days and at most 9 months in any 12 months.
- It can be extended once within the 9 months, with the same or a new employer.
What happens at day 183
How Bulgaria decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 9 months in total
- Tax residence
- More than 183 days in each 12-month periodResiding in Bulgaria more than 183 days makes a person a resident for tax purposes.
- Foreign-source income
Total annual tax base of residents on worldwide income; Bulgarian-source income of non-residents.
All tax rules for Bulgaria Tax records checked
Full official text
Seasonal workers with access to the labour market and a Visa D can obtain a permit for the length of the employment contract, from 90 days up to 9 months in any 12 months. 1 2 3
Requirements
- Workers meet the conditions for access to the labour market and live outside Bulgaria when applying. 3
- The employer operates in an economic sector on the official seasonal-work list. 3
- A fixed-term employment contract signed by both parties and a job description are submitted. 3
- A declaration from the employer on suitable housing and on pay and conditions is submitted. 3
- The employer or authorised person files the application at the Migration Directorate. 3
- Workers who did seasonal work in Bulgaria in the last 5 years get an accelerated procedure. 3
- The permit runs for the contract term, at least 90 days and at most 9 months in any 12 months. 3
- It can be extended once within the 9 months, with the same or a new employer. 3
Stay
- Permit for the duration of the contract, at least 90 days and at most 9 months within any 12 months; can be extended once within the 9 months.
- First stay: up to 9 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Third-country nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Work
Seasonal work for the employer named in the permit.
Official sources
- Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act (English translation, consolidation of 2022) · Ministry of Innovation and Growth · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2022-11
- Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Act (English translation) · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy · checked 2026-10-10
- Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, consolidated text (amended to State Gazette 52/2025) · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (consolidated text, printed 13 February 2026) · checked 2026-10-11
- Visa D (long term): documents and Art. 24 categories (June 2023) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2023-06
Seasonal worker permit and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonal worker permit | – | 9 mo, renewable | – |
| Blue Card | – | 5 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Trade representative permit | Needs income of BGN 100k+ a year ≈ $57k | – | – |
| Intra-company transfer | – | 1 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Researcher permit | Needs income of €620+ a month ≈ $690 | – | – |
Questions people ask
How long can I stay on the Seasonal worker permit?
Permit for the duration of the contract, at least 90 days and at most 9 months within any 12 months; can be extended once within the 9 months.
How long does the Seasonal worker permit take to process?
Applications for prolonged residence permits are examined within 14 days; complex cases can be extended by one more month.
Can I work on the Seasonal worker permit?
Seasonal work for the employer named in the permit.
Who can apply for the Seasonal worker permit?
Third-country nationals. Not open to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia.
Does the Seasonal worker permit lead to permanent residence in Bulgaria?
Time on the Seasonal worker permit doesn't count toward permanent residence in Bulgaria. The stay itself ends after 9 months and can't be extended.
How are Seasonal worker permit holders taxed in Bulgaria?
No special regime in our records is tied to the Seasonal worker permit. The standard rules apply: Bulgarian tax residents pay a flat 10% on the total annual tax base; dividends are taxed at a final 5%.
More in Bulgaria
Work visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 4 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act (English translation, consolidation of 2022) · Ministry of Innovation and Growth · checked 2026-10-10
- Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Act (English translation) · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy · checked 2026-10-10
- Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria Act, consolidated text (amended to State Gazette 52/2025) · Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (consolidated text, printed 13 February 2026) · checked 2026-10-11
- Visa D (long term): documents and Art. 24 categories (June 2023) · Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria · checked 2026-10-10
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.