New roundtable on the FUMI project presented the achievements so far and new developments

A round table on "Bulgaria Attracts Talents: Sustainable Models for Labour Migration and Integration" was held in Sofia, organized by the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and the Center for Entrepreneurship and Executive Development (CEED Bulgaria).

The event is part of the project "Functionally Sustainable Migration and Integration in Bulgaria" (FUMI in Bulgaria), which aims to promote legal labour migration, provide information on employment opportunities in third countries, as well as attract human capital for sustainable economic development and competitiveness enhancement.

The round table was opened by the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Danail Rusev, who emphasized that Bulgaria is taking consistent measures to attract qualified specialists and build a sustainable model of labour migration based on legality and equality. He also presented the measures taken to ease administrative procedures for employers, including the possibility of electronic submission of applications for work and residence permits through a specialized platform. Deputy Minister Rusev informed that additional measures are being prepared to accelerate procedures related to seasonal employment, and that labour migration is already being viewed as a strategic tool for development and competitiveness enhancement.

The President of BCCI, Tsvetan Simeonov, welcomed the participants and stressed that the Chamber, together with CEED Bulgaria, is successfully implementing the "FUMI in Bulgaria" project, aimed at overcoming the challenges faced by businesses regarding labour shortages.

He noted that labour migration should be carried out in strict compliance with and effective implementation of the established rules. Despite the introduction of digitalization and shortened processing times for documents, delays in conducting visa interviews continue to be observed, Simeonov pointed out.

He added that in addition to encouraging the return of Bulgarian citizens from abroad, higher education and specialized training of foreign students in Bulgaria represent an important potential for overcoming the shortage of personnel.

In conclusion, Tsvetan Simeonov stated the readiness of BCCI to continue working jointly with all institutions involved in the procedures for hiring labour from third countries, with the aim of finding sustainable solutions to the workforce shortage problem.

Stanislav Chervenkov, Deputy Executive Director of CEED Bulgaria, presented the project activities implemented so far, the meetings held, and the analyses and documents developed. He highlighted the web-based job search platform in Bulgaria, which facilitates the connection between employers and candidates from third countries.

As part of the event, the project BCCI team presented a report on the labour environment in Bulgaria regarding third-country nationals (TCNs), as well as a handbook for employers on hiring them.

Gabriela Dimitrova, Director of International Cooperation and International Organizations, presented the handbook, which will soon be printed. She pointed out that its main goal is to provide clarifications to employers and reduce the risk of administrative errors and delays. She noted that the handbook covers in detail the main institutions involved in the process of hiring third-country nationals, mentioning among them: the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the Employment Agency, the Migration Directorate, and Bulgarian consular services.

Beata Papazova, European Integration and Projects Advisor at BCCI, pointed out during the forum that the process of attracting third-country nationals and hiring them on the labour market in Bulgaria has many aspects and factors influencing its successful implementation. One of the factors, in her words, is creating favorable working conditions for those wishing to work in Bulgaria.

Attorney Magdalena Miteva presented the topic "Entering the Labour Market in Bulgaria – the Legal Doors and Who Holds the Keys", while the Chairperson of the "Multi Kulti Collective", Bistra Ivanova, spoke about the integration of migrant workers in Bulgaria between policy and practice.

The event concluded with a discussion between representatives of institutions and employers, which addressed issues related to the procedures for hiring workers from third countries, deadlines, the electronic platform for submitting documents, and the role of intermediaries in workforce recruitment.