Bulgarian Parliament to debate changes to Foreigners Law

The Bulgarian National Assembly is set to debate several legislative amendments, including two bills aimed at reforming the Law on Foreigners. These proposals seek to address labor migration, protect seasonal workers, and digitize administrative procedures.

A bill submitted by the Council of Ministers aims to align Bulgarian law with European Union requirements. Key provisions include measures to facilitate legal labor migration and prevent worker exploitation. Specifically, the bill proposes that employers must pay compensation if they revoke a foreign worker's access to the labor market through their own fault. It also mandates written contracts for housing provided by employers to seasonal workers and restricts the use of official passports to official duties abroad.

Separately, a proposal from the Democratic Bulgaria political group suggests creating a unified digital environment for processing residence and work permit applications through a dedicated production platform. The parliamentary agenda also includes first readings of amendments to the Commercial Register and Non-Profit Legal Entities Register, proposed by Progressive Bulgaria, as well as changes to the Electronic Identification Act.