Bulgaria - The social impact of seasonal migration

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(Weltanschauung) that leads to the development of entrepreneurial behaviour. Yet in
some municipalities the transfer of Western skills to Bulgarian soil seems to fail. In both
cases, there is a strong Western influence upon consumer practices.
Another impact of increased seasonal migration is the attempt of local authorities to
participate more actively in mediating work abroad.
There are negative impacts of emigration, too, related to brain drain, depopulation, and the
creation of a negative image of the Bulgarians working abroad.
But the research done is not systematic, so there is an urgent need of more research on the
impact of emigration upon the local societies and the large society as a whole, especially in
the sphere of cultural impact.
The impact of immigrants in Bulgaria has not been sufficiently studied yet, so more
research is needed in that direction as well. The experts have established that asylum
seekers self-finance the refugee status granting process with 68% of the total costs (1999
data). Further, their labour might contribute to lower prices on unskilled labour in the
climate of liberalisation of the labour market.
V. Regulation of migration processes is already harmonized with international
norms and the acquis communautaire; nearly all the recommendations for
adjusting the Bulgarian legislation to contemporary legal norms have been
fulfilled. The management and control of migration processes are a key priority of the
Bulgarian government. The main objective is to increase the feeling of security of the
citizens in their own country, thereby decreasing their desire for emigration while
adopting efficient measures to stop illegal immigration.
Measures undertaken by the Bulgarian government for the regulation and control of
labour migration are basically the following:
a) Measures for regulating labour immigration, involving a complex approach and
continuous application, directed at the perfection of the Bulgarian national legislation
and policies:
• Examination of existing migration legislations and cases of successful migration
management as a basis for the perfection of the national policies on migration;
• Active participation in the international co-operation for the control of labour
migration - for the implementation of international and European standards.
b) Measures regarding labour emigration – a premise for short-term, regulated labour
emigration:
• Continuous analysis of the work on the operative bilateral agreements for the
exchange of labour force, for any modifications in the relevant legislation and the
instructions included in the agreements to assist Bulgarian citizens;
• Intensification of the process of making bilateral agreements for the exchange of
labour force in other countries;
• Comprehensive information on the conditions under which Bulgarian citizens can
work abroad under operative agreements.
c) Measures regarding labour immigration – adopted to protect the labour market:
• Amendments in the legislation regarding the admittance of foreigners as employees –
a permit regime has been adopted since 1994;