200,000 workers needed for seasonal jobs in seaside resort Sunny Beach

Intense preparations are underway on the Southern Black Sea coast for the upcoming summer season. The first tourists are expected for Easter, and the hospitality industry is actively seeking workers.

Industry representatives promise a 10% increase in wages compared to last year, but despite this, they report a shortage of staff.

In Sunny Beach alone, about 200,000 workers are needed. To fill these positions, hoteliers are looking to hire more workers from third countries, which has become a challenge after Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen Area.

At a hotel near Pomorie, they need 400 staff members. This year, they will rely more on workers from third countries, as Bulgarians prefer year-round employment.

"Many of them have worked in the hotel industry and this gives hoteliers a certainty. They come with certain knowledge and skills that are very suitable. We don't need to teach them, we don't need to show them. Especially if they are coming back for another season," said Georgi Hadzhiev, owner of an agency recruiting workers from abroad.

"I prefer to work with Bulgarian workers. I have certain people here, but they are few. Do you understand, there is a shortage of workers in Bulgaria. For example - some arrive yesterday and lied to me that they can do this and that. It turned out they can't do anything, they are illiterate. I have signed about 30-40 people from Nepal, Kyrgyzstan and Bangladesh," added Veselin Nalbantov, deputy chairman of the Bulgarian Hotel and Restaurant Association.

Because of the slow procedures, preparations for issuing visas started in November. The problem is particularly pronounced in India, where visas are issued for Nepal, Sri Lanka and the whole region.

"If we are going to ask for help from, for example, our ministry, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the help is directed in this direction - to be able to increase the number of people, the capacity and absolutely everything so that work visas can be issued," said Stoyka Terzieva, hotel manager.

Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen Area has further extended the process by 5 to 10 days.

"Because right now, all Schengen Area countries have to confirm for a foreigner that they have the right to enter Bulgaria. If a year ago, this was only done by our embassy, now we have to receive confirmation from absolutely everyone," said Georgi Hadzhiev, owner of a foreign workers hiring agency.

Hoteliers also fear that some of the arriving workers may escape. The cases from last summer were not isolated.

"We have tried to fill the positions with more people because we anticipate this might happen, especially from Nepal," added Stoyka Terzieva, hotel manager.

Workers are most in demand for positions as cleaners, waiters and bartenders, and salaries range from 1,400 to 2,500 BGN. Some of the hotels are opening as early as the end of April and the first foreign workers are expected to arrive in early May.