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Employment contract types in Bulgaria

Employment in Bulgaria rests on a written contract, and its type determines almost everything else: dismissal protection, notice, leave and social insurance. Two distinctions cause most of the confusion — fixed-term versus open-ended, and an employment contract under the Labour Code versus a civil contract under general contract law.

Working life · Last reviewed: 2026-08-16

Open-ended is the default

Under the Labour Code the standard form is the open-ended contract. A fixed term is the exception and is permitted only in the situations the law lists — seasonal work, a defined task, covering an absent employee. A fixed-term offer with no visible justification is therefore something to question. Where a term has been used outside the permitted frame, the contract may fall to be treated as open-ended; that assessment turns on the actual wording and the nature of the work.

Who the probation clause protects

A probation clause must state in whose favour it is agreed, and this detail decides who may terminate without notice during the trial period. If the wording is silent, you inherit a dispute rather than a right. The maximum length of probation, and whether it can be repeated with the same employer, are capped by law — verify the current limits in the Labour Code and with the General Labour Inspectorate rather than relying on what an employer states verbally.

Employment contract versus civil contract

Where the two instruments genuinely differ
CriterionEmployment contractCivil contract
Governing lawLabour CodeLaw on obligations and contracts
SubordinationWorking time and instructionsA result is owed, not a process
Leave and service recordYesNo
Termination protectionStatutory grounds and procedureContract terms apply
InsuranceDeclared by the employerDepends on the contractor's status

The label does not decide the relationship

Fixed hours, the client's equipment, continuous instruction and dependence on a single principal point to an employment relationship regardless of the document's title. Inspections and courts look at how the work is actually organised.

Clauses to read before signing

  • Parties and place of work; for remote arrangements, how the workplace is defined.
  • Job title and description — the basis for any later dispute about changed duties.
  • Working time: full-time, part-time, shift pattern.
  • Remuneration, payment date and how additional payments are calculated.
  • Paid annual leave and the notice period applying to each side.
  • Start date and, if present, in whose favour the probation clause is agreed.

Immediately after signature

  1. Confirm the contract was notified

    The employer must notify the revenue agency of the contract; check that this happened.

  2. Ask for the job description

    It is a separate document that must be handed to the employee.

  3. Record every change in an annex

    Pay, duties and working time change by written annex, never by verbal agreement.

  4. Keep your own copy

    The signed contract and annexes are your primary evidence in any dispute.

No figures or day counts are given here

Notice periods, probation caps, leave entitlements and the minimum wage change regularly. Take the current values from the Labour Code in force and the General Labour Inspectorate, and have your own contract reviewed by a lawyer.

This is not legal or financial advice

This page explains the process in general terms and points to the official sources of the competent authorities. For decisions specific to your own situation, consult a lawyer, an accountant or the relevant institution. Rules and amounts change over time.

Frequently asked questions

Can an employer keep renewing a fixed-term contract?

Chain renewals are restricted. Fixed terms are limited to the grounds set out in law, and where those grounds do not hold the relationship may be treated as open-ended. The assessment is made on the facts of the particular job.

My contract is only in Bulgarian — is that valid?

Yes, and the Bulgarian text governs in a dispute. Ask for a translation before signing and verify the pay, duties, working time, notice and any non-compete clause individually rather than relying on a summary.

Does a civil contract build up service record?

No. A civil contract creates no length-of-service record and no paid annual leave. The insurance consequences depend on the contractor's own status, which is a separate question to settle in advance.

Sources

The information on this page is based on the official sources listed below. Legislation changes — open the links and verify the current position.

  1. Кодекс на труда — официален текст (lex.bg) — https://lex.bg/ · 2026-08-16
  2. Министерство на труда и социалната политика — https://www.mlsp.government.bg/ · 2026-08-16
  3. ИА Главна инспекция по труда — https://www.gli.government.bg/ · 2026-08-16
  4. Национална агенция за приходите (НАП) — https://nra.bg/ · 2026-08-16

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