Bulgaria’s Black Sea region is grappling with a labor shortage as the summer season approaches. Hotels and restaurants are struggling to find staff, prompting employers to raise wages by at least 10% compared to the previous year. To bridge the gap, businesses are increasingly hiring workers from non-EU countries. Veselin Nalbantov, Deputy Chairman of the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association, warned that the labor crisis will persist. While the region offers good infrastructure and conditions, he criticized the lack of government action in streamlining labor migration. He also noted the need for better coordination between the Ministry of Tourism and agencies handling foreign worker recruitment.Source of this news item
Bulgaria's Black Sea coast is confronting a severe labor shortage, with recent studies indicating that nearly 200,000 workers and specialists are needed across various sectors in the next 12 months. This shortfall is particularly acute in coastal cities like Burgas and Varna, where the demand for labor significantly exceeds the number of unemployed individuals. The tourism industry, a cornerstone of the Black Sea region's economy, is among the hardest hit. Hoteliers and restaurateurs are struggling to find qualified staff, leading to operational challenges such as canceled reservations and limited services. Stanislav Dimitrov, a hotelier from Kranevo, noted, "We are continuing our search for employees. We're having to cancel reservations and limit room availability to manage with the current staff."
To mitigate the crisis, businesses are increasingly turning to foreign labor. Workers from countries like Bangladesh, India, and Turkey are being recruited to fill positions traditionally held by locals. However, this approach faces hurdles, including bureaucratic delays in visa processing. Dimitrov shared his experience of submitting applications in April for workers from Bangladesh and Nepal, only to face slow visa issuance, with only one of eight applicants arriving by mid-July.
The labor shortage extends beyond tourism, affecting sectors such as trade, transport, hospitality, and public administration. Employers are particularly seeking workers with secondary education and qualified specialists in construction, healthcare, and education. Despite efforts to recruit locally, the shortage persists, prompting calls for streamlined immigration policies to attract foreign workers more effectively.
Demographic trends, including declining birth rates and an aging population, exacerbate the labor crisis. Projections suggest that Bulgaria could face a deficit of up to 500,000 workers in the next three to five years. This looming shortfall underscores the urgency for comprehensive strategies, such as investing in education and training programs to upskill the existing workforce and implementing policies to attract and retain foreign talent.
