Bulgaria
The unemployment rate in Bulgaria is relatively high and as a result it may be difficult to find work. Seasonal work such as that in the ski industry is easier to get, as are jobs in education and information technology.
It is possible to apply for a job while in the UK or Bulgaria. However it is usually advisable to obtain employment before moving so that you have the security of work already in place.
The typical methods of application include a CV and a brief covering letter, which describes why you are interested in the specific position. If you are successful at this stage it is likely that the employer will ask for further information and documents before moving on to the interviews. It is therefore helpful to have any qualification certificates, evidence of work experience and references prepared in advance.
Find out more about job applications and CVs and covering letters.
Both chronological and skill-based CVs are accepted. The typical CV includes the following paragraphs: name and contact details, education and training, work experience, skills and competencies, additional information, and referees.
Personal information such as date of birth and marital status may still be found in Bulgarian CVs but this information is optional and can be left out if you prefer. More information on CVs and samples of applications can be viewed at Karierist
.
The European CV format is also widely used in Bulgaria and examples and instructions on how to produce one can be found at Europass .
Once your application has been approved, you will be invited to attend an interview. The interviews are quite formal. You are expected to be dressed smartly, arrive on time and shake hands and introduce yourself on arrival. The initial interview is usually with a member of the Human Resource department who will try to determine your suitability to the role. Any second stage interviews are likely to be with a senior manager. The interview may be conducted in Bulgarian and English if they have specified a need to speak the language.
Assessment centres have recently been introduced in the larger international companies.
The National Centre for Information and Documentation (Bulgaria) in Sofia works to recognise qualifications from overseas institutions. They will be able to compare your qualifications and their website has further information on the process, including the required documents.
More information can also be obtained from ENIC-NARIC.
If you are planning to live and work in Bulgaria, check your UK tax and National Insurance position with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to ensure that you are not losing any UK pension rights.
Networking and personal contact play a considerable role in finding vacancies. The personal recommendation will often guarantee you a good starting point in your career.
In the last couple of years the social networking website Linkedin has proved to be a place where Bulgarian companies headhunt and advertise their vacancies.
There are opportunities for teaching English in Bulgaria. Learning a foreign language is obligatory in schools and begins at primary level. It is common to find secondary schools that specialise in particular languages such as English, German and, less often, French. At university, students study at least one foreign language and must achieve a specified level of competence before they can graduate. English is now one of the most popular options.
There are many private schools in Bulgaria interested in employing English language assistants. For a list of schools in Bulgaria, visit Need.bg .
British Council, Teacher Recruitment also has occasional vacancies for teachers. There may also be opportunities through the Bulgarian Ministry of Education on a variety of European Union projects.
There are various volunteering projects in Bulgaria, mainly in conservation and youth work. Examples include Balkani Wildlife Society. Search the WorldWide Volunteering (WWV) database for possible opportunities.
Seasonal work is sometimes available to international students or graduates in the main mountain ski resorts and seaside resorts of the country. Opportunities are usually advertised in the newspapers or on job websites (see vacancy sources).
These include seasonal work at the resorts, teaching English or volunteering opportunities.
Higher education in Bulgaria is offered by a number of universities, further education colleges and institutes. It is open to anyone who has completed secondary education.
The qualification structure is similar to that in the UK and is divided into the following degrees:
The above qualifications can be studied as full-time, part-time or distance learning courses.
Bulgarian universities offer a wide variety of options for postgraduate study which are available to international students. While some programmes are taught entirely in English (such as at the American University in Bulgaria), the majority are taught in Bulgarian with some classes in English, German or French.
If the programme involves taught classes in Bulgarian, you will need to pass a language examination. For those with no prior knowledge of Bulgarian, a nine month language course is available at Sofia University , which must be completed before a degree course can be started. Students who are already proficient in the language can sit the end examination without taking the course.
The Bulgarian Ministry of Education provides a detailed list of Accredited Higher Schools in Bulgaria. This listing also provides some information of the performance of each university.
Universities Worldwide also gives a list of all higher education institutions in Bulgaria.
For entry to a Masters degree you will be required to have a first degree (undergraduate). For Doctorate degrees the requirement is a completed Masters qualification. Specific grades and subjects required may differ between each institution and they should be contacted directly for further information.
Depending on the start of the programme there are various closing dates and individual universities should be contacted to find out when these are. Usually the applications for Bachelors and Masters degrees start in June and run to mid-July.
The applications are made directly to the university and they will individually specify their terms and the necessary documents.
For some programmes applications are accepted online and successful applicants are invited to interviews.
For an application to study for a Doctorate degree you will be required to present the following documents:
Further advice is available from individual institutions.
Foreign nationals must pay tuition fees to study in Bulgaria, which are set by the Council of Ministers annually. They vary across institutions but are typically €3,000 - €3,300 for a Masters programme. Course taught in English may cost slightly more. The language course that must be completed if you have no prior knowledge of Bulgarian costs €3,300.
Living in Bulgaria is relatively cheaper than the UK. Reasonably priced accommodation is sometimes provided to international students by the university, which depending on the type, can vary between €35 and €150 per month. It is also possible to rent privately in the city although this accommodation will be significantly more expensive.
Scholarships are not generally available to international students. You will need to contact each university directly for further details or contact the Ministry of Education. The American University in Bulgaria is most likely to offer support.
UK students on undergraduate degree programmes, studying postgraduate Masters or on some PhD programmes may be interested in spending time studying in Bulgaria through the Erasmus exchange programme. This programme is open to all subject areas, but check with your institution's Erasmus coordinator first (usually based in the international office) to see which countries they have links with and in what subject areas.
As Bulgaria is a member state of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) , qualifications will be transferable to the UK. You can also refer to the UK NARIC (National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom) for information on comparing international qualifications.
EU nationals do not need a visa or work permit for Bulgaria but citizens of non-EU countries may be required to have these documents and should check with their embassy.
EU citizens may enter Bulgaria on a passport and stay for up to three months without having to carry out any formal procedures. After this period they must register with the police.
If you are a UK national or hold another EU passport you do not need a visa for Bulgaria.
If you plan to stay in the country for more than three months you will need to register with the police. To do this you will have to show that you are either employed, enrolled as a student, or have sufficient funds to support yourself without being a burden on the social security of Bulgaria. You will need to provide evidence of this as well as your passport and will then submit a stamp duty receipt in order to be provided with a temporary residence permit, which will be valid for up to five years.
If you are not a UK national, contact the Bulgarian embassy in the country where you are currently residing about how to obtain visas and work permits. If you are living in the UK, go to the Bulgarian Embassy in London .
You might also find it helpful to contact your ministry of foreign affairs (or your own embassy if you are not living in your home country) to ask whether there are any issues to be taken into account when considering working in Bulgaria.
The National Employment Agency administers the work permits for foreign citizens.
EU nationals who live in Bulgaria continuously for five years are then issued with a permanent residence permit.
Nationals from non-EU countries should contact the embassy in their home country for further information on how they can obtain a permanent residency permit for Bulgaria.
The National Employment Agency administers the registration of unemployed people and manages a database of vacancies, which are available to both Bulgarian and foreign citizens. The Agency also provides programmes for vocational and professional training, gives careers advice, and analyses and provides information about the labour market and forecasts changes in it.
The Agency is the official partner of EURES - European Job Mobility Portal in Bulgaria.
Careers services are established in the country. Contact the career centre of the specific universities and higher education institutes to find out whether you are eligible to use their services. A list of the university careers services in Bulgaria is available from University Careers Centres.
The British Embassy in Bulgaria can help you with general advice on living in Bulgaria. The embassy also provides help in cases of emergency including:
Emergency contact numbers in Bulgaria are:
Find the latest travel advice and a traveller’s checklist on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website.
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