1. Managers
Employees transferred to perform senior managerial functions in the Bulgarian host entity.
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
Intra-Corporate Transfer – Bulgaria
Residence & Work for Managers, Specialists and Trainee Employees
← Back to Bulgaria
Bulgaria provides a dedicated immigration pathway for qualifying third-country nationals who are temporarily transferred within an international company or group of companies.
The official pathway is the Intra-Corporate Transferee Permit (ICT). It allows qualifying employees of a company established outside the European Union to be transferred temporarily to a related company or group entity in Bulgaria.
The pathway is specifically designed for Managers, Specialists and Trainee Employees.
CETO Global Immigration Consulting & Partners assists international companies and transferred employees in assessing eligibility and coordinating the Bulgarian ICT immigration process together with qualified local legal and immigration professionals.
What Is an Intra-Corporate Transfer?
An intra-corporate transfer is a temporary transfer of an employee from a company established outside the EU to a related entity in Bulgaria.
The foreign and Bulgarian entities must belong to the same Company, Enterprise, or Group of Companies.
ICT is not an ordinary recruitment pathway. A Bulgarian company cannot simply hire an unrelated foreign worker and classify the person as an ICT employee. A genuine qualifying corporate relationship must exist.
Who Can Qualify?
The Bulgarian ICT framework is limited to three principal categories
2. Specialists
Employees possessing specialised knowledge or professional expertise important to the business activities of the company or group.
3. Trainee Employees
Employees transferred for professional development or training within the company or group.
Prior Employment Requirement
The employee must already have worked within the relevant enterprise or group before the transfer.
- Managers: at least 12 months of continuous employment immediately before the application
- Specialists: at least 12 months of continuous employment immediately before the application
- Trainees: at least 6 months of continuous employment immediately before the application
An employer generally cannot hire the employee today and transfer them to Bulgaria tomorrow under the standard ICT framework. The required previous employment history must exist.
Corporate Relationship
The applicant must demonstrate that the foreign sending company and the Bulgarian host entity belong to the same enterprise or group of enterprises.
- Corporate Registration Documents
- Group Ownership Documentation
- Parent-Subsidiary Documentation
- Branch Documentation
- Group Structure Documentation
- Other Qualifying Corporate Evidence
Temporary Transfer
The ICT pathway is fundamentally designed for temporary corporate mobility. The employee must be transferred for a defined period and remain connected with the international corporate group.
The documentation must generally demonstrate that the employee will continue working within the enterprise established outside the EU after the transfer period ends.
Employer Justification & Transfer Duration
The Bulgarian host / employer must provide a justification explaining why the temporary transfer is required. This should describe the business need and the role the employee will perform in Bulgaria.
The application documentation must include evidence concerning the duration of the transfer.
Employment Conditions & Qualifications
The employer must confirm that working conditions and remuneration are not less favourable than those applicable to comparable Bulgarian workers in the relevant category.
Managers and Specialists must demonstrate the necessary Professional Experience, Qualifications and Skills for the position.
Trainee Education & Training Agreement
A Trainee Employee must provide evidence of completed Higher Education.
Trainees must also provide a Training Agreement describing the Training Programme, Training Objectives, Duration, Professional Development, Supervision, and Conditions of Training.
Documentation
Depending on the case, required documents can include:
- Valid Passport
- Criminal Record Certificate
- Proof of Accommodation
- Employer Justification
- Proof of Corporate Relationship
- Transfer Duration Documentation
- Proof of Prior Employment
- Professional Qualification Documents
- University Diploma for Trainees
- Training Agreement for Trainees
- Health Insurance
- Employer Declarations
- Other Required Immigration Documents
Corporate and personal documents issued abroad may require Legalisation, Apostille, or Certified Bulgarian Translation, depending on the issuing country and applicable rules.
Application Procedure
- 01
ICT Application
The ICT application is submitted to the Migration Directorate or the competent Migration unit of the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior. It can generally be submitted by the Employer, an Authorised Representative, or the Third-Country National in certain circumstances.
- 02
Long-Stay Visa – Type D
Once the grounds for ICT residence have been approved, the applicant can generally apply for a Long-Stay Visa – Type D at the competent Bulgarian embassy or consulate.
- 03
Entry into Bulgaria
After obtaining the applicable visa, the employee can enter Bulgaria and complete the residence-permit procedure.
- 04
Residence Permit
The employee then obtains the Intra-Corporate Transferee Residence Permit.
Work Rights
The ICT holder may work in Bulgaria only for the specific host entity or within the approved group of enterprises, and only in the approved ICT capacity.
ICT does not provide unrestricted access to the Bulgarian labour market.
Change of Employer
A holder cannot simply leave the group and begin working for an unrelated Bulgarian company on the same ICT permit. A different immigration basis would generally be required.
Family Members
Qualifying family members of an ICT holder can potentially obtain Bulgarian residence. They can also potentially obtain access to employment or self-employment in Bulgaria under the applicable rules.
Family members' access to the labour market is subject to the required Bulgarian Employment Agency decision and applicable immigration conditions.
EU ICT Mobility
One major advantage of the ICT framework is mobility between participating EU Member States.
- Short-Term Mobility: a holder of an ICT permit issued by another EU Member State can potentially stay and work in Bulgaria for up to 90 days within any 180-day period under the applicable short-term mobility rules
- Long-Term Mobility: where the employee needs to stay in Bulgaria for more than 90 days, a dedicated Mobile ICT permit can potentially be obtained
- No Visa D for certain Mobile ICT cases: a holder of a valid ICT permit issued by another participating EU Member State applying under the Bulgarian long-term mobility framework does not require Visa D where the applicable conditions are satisfied
EU ICT mobility is not the same as EU free movement. The employee remains a third-country national and must comply with the specific ICT mobility rules.
Examples
Example – Manager
Subject to all applicable conditions, the ICT pathway can potentially be used.
A multinational company headquartered outside the EU operates a Bulgarian subsidiary. A senior manager has worked for the parent company for three years. The company needs the manager in Sofia for a temporary assignment.
Example – Specialist
The Bulgarian ICT framework can potentially provide the appropriate residence and work basis.
An international manufacturing group needs a specialist with proprietary technical knowledge at its Bulgarian operation. The specialist has worked for the foreign group company for more than 12 months.
Example – Trainee
Subject to the applicable requirements, the employee may potentially qualify as an ICT Trainee.
A university graduate has worked for an international group outside the EU for more than six months. The employee is transferred temporarily to Bulgaria for structured professional training.
ICT Compared to Other Pathways
ICT vs. Single Residence & Work Permit
ICT: designed for temporary transfer within an international corporate group.
Single Residence & Work Permit: designed for ordinary qualifying employment with a Bulgarian employer.
ICT vs. EU Blue Card
ICT: designed for internal corporate mobility.
EU Blue Card: designed for highly qualified Bulgarian employment satisfying the applicable salary and qualification requirements.
ICT vs. Business Residence
ICT: the applicant remains a transferred employee.
Business / Self-Employment: the applicant operates independently as an entrepreneur or self-employed professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can any employee qualify?
No. The person must qualify as a Manager, Specialist, or Trainee Employee.
How long must I work for the group before transfer?
Managers and Specialists: at least 12 months. Trainees: at least 6 months.
Can a new employee be transferred immediately?
Generally no. The required prior employment period must first be satisfied.
Can I work for another Bulgarian company?
Not on the basis of the ICT permit itself.
Can my family join me?
Potentially yes. Qualifying family members can obtain residence under the applicable rules.
Can my spouse work?
Potentially, subject to the applicable Employment Agency decision and Bulgarian labour-market requirements.
Can I move between EU countries?
Potentially under the EU ICT mobility framework. Short-term and long-term mobility rules apply.
Can I work in Austria automatically?
No. Bulgarian ICT residence does not create unrestricted Austrian employment rights.
Can ICT lead to long-term residence?
ICT is primarily a temporary corporate mobility route. Whether ICT periods count toward future long-term residence must be assessed under the applicable Bulgarian and EU rules.
Does ICT lead to Bulgarian citizenship?
Not automatically. Citizenship is a separate legal process.
Who Can We Help?
Bulgarian ICT can potentially be relevant for:
- Multinational Companies
- International Corporate Groups
- Foreign Parent Companies
- Bulgarian Subsidiaries
- Managers
- Specialists
- Technical Experts
- IT Professionals
- Engineers
- Trainee Employees
- International HR Departments
Our Process
- 01
1. Corporate Structure Assessment
We review the relationship between the foreign company and Bulgarian host entity.
- 02
2. Employee Category
We assess whether the person qualifies as a Manager, Specialist, or Trainee.
- 03
3. Prior Employment
The required employment period within the group is verified.
- 04
4. Transfer Documentation
The business justification and transfer duration are documented.
- 05
5. Qualifications
Professional qualifications and experience are reviewed.
- 06
6. Corporate Documentation
Evidence of the group relationship is coordinated.
- 07
7. ICT Application
The Bulgarian ICT procedure is coordinated together with qualified local professionals.
- 08
8. Visa Type D
Where required, the Bulgarian long-stay visa process is coordinated.
- 09
9. Family & EU Mobility
Family residence and EU ICT mobility options are assessed.
- 10
10. Future Immigration Strategy
Where required, potential future Employment Residence, EU Blue Card, Business Residence, or Long-Term Residence options can be assessed.
Transfer Your Key People to Bulgaria
Corporate Mobility for International Business
Bulgaria's ICT framework allows multinational companies to temporarily transfer qualifying Managers, Specialists and Trainee Employees from operations outside the EU to related Bulgarian entities.
CETO can coordinate the corporate, employment and immigration process together with qualified Bulgarian legal and immigration professionals.
The Bulgarian ICT permit is intended for genuine temporary intra-corporate transfers. The foreign sending company and Bulgarian host entity must belong to the same enterprise or group of companies.
Managers and Specialists generally require at least 12 months of prior continuous employment within the group. Trainees generally require at least 6 months of prior continuous employment and must have completed higher education.
ICT holders may work only under the conditions of the approved intra-corporate transfer. Short-term and long-term EU ICT mobility are subject to separate statutory requirements. ICT residence does not provide unrestricted employment rights throughout the European Union.