site.btaOver 5% of Population in 11 Bulgarian Regions Work Abroad - Survey

Eleven Bulgarian regions are the biggest donors of work force to other countries, mainly in the EU, shows a survey of the General Labour Inspectorate Executive Agency. The findings were published on the agency's website on Wednesday. 

Over 5% of the population of Vidin, Vratsa, Gabrovo, Kardzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Razgrad, Sliven, Smolyan, Targovishte, and Haskovo has gone to work abroad in the last ten years. The preferred destinations in the last five years have been Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Greece, Belgium, Austria, France, and Czechia. 

The higher pay is the main reason for Bulgarians to seek work abroad. The survey shows that nearly 96% of the labour emigrants expect bigger salaries than what they could receive in Bulgaria. They also hope to save money for the future. The data also show that this motivation does not depend on education, material status, and settlement.

People of various ages - from 18 to 55 - work abroad, with those aged over 30 being the predominant age group. The majority are men, but the share of women has been growing in the last years, the data show.

According to the survey, in the last years the share of people moving abroad has been decreasing. Among the reasons for the downward trend are the COVID-19 restrictions and the recession in Europe because of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

The survey was carried out by the Chief Labour Inspectorate within the Cooperation for Decent Work cross-border project, funded under the Fund for Bilateral Relations within the framework of the EEA and Norway Grants 2014-2021.