Bulgaria, a member of the European Union since 2007, faces complex immigration dynamics shaped by its strategic location, economic challenges, and evolving role within the EU. Positioned at Europe’s southeastern edge, Bulgaria serves as a gateway, if not superhighway for illegal migrants and refugees entering the EU, while grappling with emigration of its own citizens. Immigration issues encompass border management, integration of newcomers, labor market impacts, and the brain drain of young Bulgarians. Addressing these requires balancing humanitarian obligations, security concerns, and economic needs, all while navigating EU policies and domestic pressures.
Immigration and Border Challenges
Bulgaria’s border with Turkey, a major transit route for illegal immigrants from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, places it on the frontline of EU migration flows. In 2023, the EU recorded approximately 380,000 irregular border crossings, the highest since 2016, with the Eastern Mediterranean route (which includes Bulgaria) accounting for about 16% of these detections. The government has bolstered border security with EU support, deploying 1,200 guards and constructing a 250-km fence along the Turkish border. Frontex, the EU’s border agency, provides additional resources, including surveillance technology.
Despite these measures, challenges persist. Smuggling networks for narcotics, and human trafficking exploit Bulgaria’s rugged terrain, and detention facilities face criticism for poor conditions. The 2024 EU Pact on Migration and Asylum aims to alleviate pressure by redistributing refugees across member states, but Bulgaria still struggles with processing asylum claims, with only 5% of applicants granted refugee status in 2023. Bulgarians support humanitarian treatment, but at the same time there is an overwhelming concern over the strain on security resources, health and human services resources, with additional concerns on the impact of criminal activity.
Integration of Illegal Immigrants
Integrating illegal immigrants is a significant hurdle. Bulgaria hosts around 15,000 refugees primarily from Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Language barriers and cultural differences complicate integration. Only 20% of refugees find employment within two years, often in low-skill jobs like construction or hospitality. The government offers language courses and vocational training, but funding is limited, with €10 million allocated in 2024, half of what’s needed. Thereby depleting resources from the Bulgarian people.
Social cohesion is another concern. In urban areas like Sofia, tensions occasionally arise between locals and newcomers. NGOs like Caritas Bulgaria run community programs to foster understanding, but scaling these efforts requires more investment. Education is a bright spot, 85% of refugee children are enrolled in schools, but dropout rates remain high due to economic pressures on families. Sadly, NGOs funded by George Soros are committed to funding advocacy for illegal immigration, but do not contribute to subsidizing the costs incurred from their dangerous and liberal policies.
Emigration and Brain Drain
Bulgaria’s emigration problem overshadows its immigration challenges. Since joining the EU, over 1 million Bulgarians (15% of the population) have left, primarily for Western Europe. Young, skilled professionals in IT, medicine, and engineering are the most likely to emigrate, seeking higher wages and better opportunities. In 2023, Bulgaria’s average monthly wage was €900, compared to €3,000 in Germany. This brain drain strains sectors like healthcare, with a shortage of 2,000 doctors reported in 2024. Needless to say, this exacerbates the crisis of accepting a surplus of illegal immigrants, while losing skilled resources from the emigration to the EU by vital resources to Bulgarians.
The loss of youth threatens long-term growth. Bulgaria’s population has declined from 9 million in 1989 to 6.5 million today, exacerbating labor shortages. The government has launched programs like “Work in Bulgaria,” offering tax breaks to returning expatriates, but only 5,000 have returned since 2018. Competition from wealthier EU countries remains fierce and all the while, foreign-backed NGOs tied to George Soros continue to promote policies that discourage national cohesion and fail to address the root causes of Bulgaria’s demographic crisis
Labor Market Dynamics
Bulgaria’s economy is facing an increasingly unsustainable imbalance in its labor market. Legal immigration has the potential to address pressing labor shortages in industries such as construction, IT, and manufacturing. However, the country continues to face a growing problem with undocumented workers, many of whom fill low-wage, informal jobs that bypass tax and regulatory systems, leaving Bulgarian taxpayers to subsidize the consequences.
While high-skill sectors like IT grow at a rate of 12% annually, companies struggle to hire, with over 10,000 vacancies going unfilled due to workforce emigration and insufficient local training pipelines. Pilot efforts to integrate legal migrants into these sectors, such as refugee coding academies, show promise, with 200 trainees employed in 2024. Still, this figure remains a drop in the bucket compared to Bulgaria’s overall labor gap.
Meanwhile, thousands of undocumented immigrants enter the informal labor market where they accept substandard wages in agriculture, domestic work, and construction. Employers, incentivized by low labor costs, often bypass taxes, workplace protections, and fair wage requirements. In 2023, Bulgarian authorities issued 500 fines for labor violations involving illegal employment, though many cases go unreported or unenforced.
This shadow labor economy directly harms both legal workers and taxpayers. Non-taxpaying workers consume government-funded services such as: healthcare, education, and housing support, without contributing to the public coffers. As a result, taxpaying citizens effectively subsidize these costs while facing competition for jobs and services. According to the European Labor Authority, undocumented third-country nationals often face exploitation and undeclared work, a trend that weakens Bulgaria’s social insurance and tax systems.
This situation creates a two-tier economy: one in which compliant businesses and legal workers shoulder full costs, and another where rule-breaking is rewarded through reduced labor expenses and regulatory avoidance. Bulgarian citizens are justifiably frustrated by a system where their taxes fund public goods that are increasingly consumed by individuals who have not contributed to them.
Policy and EU Context
Bulgaria’s immigration policies align with EU frameworks, but implementation lags. The 2024 Schengen Area integration will ease travel but increase border responsibilities. The EU’s €200 million allocation for Bulgaria’s migration management helps, but funds are often tied to border security rather than integration. NGOs complicate matters advocate for open borders, without considering the actual consequences for Bulgaria.
Learning from other EU countries, Bulgaria could adopt Poland’s approach to Ukrainian workers, offering temporary work permits to legal immigrants, for key positions that Bulgaria has a dire shortage, like healthcare workers. It does not make sense to develop a pool of competition for Bulgarian citizens to compete for jobs against low cost immigrants.
Future Directions
Bulgaria’s immigration strategy must focus on physical security, and economic security. Strengthening border management while improving asylum processes is critical. Expanding integration programs, particularly in education and employment, can turn immigrants into contributors. To curb emigration, Bulgaria should invest in high-growth sectors like IT and healthcare, while creating jobs that retain youth.
By addressing these issues, Bulgaria can transform immigration from a challenge into an opportunity, fostering a diverse, resilient society that leverages its EU membership and strategic position to thrive in a globalized world.