They rely on workers from countries outside the EU
As early as May 1, our resorts are expecting their first guests. But the labor crisis is deepening and putting the season at risk, the industry said.
Since the beginning of the year, more than 5,500 visas have been issued on the basis of “employment”, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced.
But just on the coast of the Southern Black Sea, 27,000 workers are wanted for the coming season. The companies rely on workers from countries outside the European Union, but they face the problem that the embassies in some of them have stopped accepting documents to be processing and issuing visas.
Cheeky Shavkat is from Uzbekistan. He has been working in a dry cleaning company in our country for the third year now. However, his relatives cannot come because of a problem with issuing a work visa.
“They have prepared all the necessary documents, but they are delaying them for more than two months. My relatives are still waiting and living without work in Uzbekistan,” says Merzaliv Shavkat.
“My brother and sister contacted the Bulgarian Embassy in Tashkent. From there they told them to wait, and when the visas were ready, they would look for themselves,” said Rushana Sariboeva.
For the fifth year in a row, a company in Burgas relies heavily on workers from Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. However, for the first time they are having trouble hiring workers because of visa delays.
“Before, the dates were within two or three weeks, but now some of the workers are waiting almost a month and a half and even more. They had to be in Bulgaria by now, they had to work. Out of 25 submitted documents and previous interviews for a visa, 24 don’t have them,” says Donka Yaneva – manager of a dry cleaning company in Burgas.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded that they are aware of the problem.
“In the short term, we plan to second officers to reinforce the busiest consular offices during the summer season, focusing on those where there are higher numbers of work visa applications submission, including Uzbekistan and India.” Just since the beginning of this year, more than 5,500 visas have been issued on the basis of “employment,” the ministry said.
“It’s literally costing us our survival. We published an advertisement three weeks ago for the recruitment of 150 workers, which we need, we only have two applicants”, said Donka Yaneva.
The dry cleaning company believes that if urgent measures are not taken, the crisis of workers for the tourist season will continue to deepen, bTV reports.
2024-04-21 16:07:30
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