Bulgaria: business immigration

There are many reasons why people decide to move to Bulgaria.

Some have real estate in this state, others have relatives, and some migrate to another country in search of a better life. When the question of moving seriously arises, everyone begins to think about earning money, a stable income and the opportunity to start their own business. In this article, we will just talk about Bulgaria and about what a profitable business you can see Russian immigrants in this small southern country.

A little about Bulgaria

The Republic of Bulgaria is a small state (about 150 times smaller than Russia), located in the very center of the Balkan Peninsula, where it occupies 22% of the total area. The population of the country is just over 7.5 million people. In the warm season, during the influx of tourists, the population increases by about 30%. This is directly related to the resort and tourism sector. The main representatives of the population of Bulgaria are Turkish and Gypsy ethnic diasporas (about 1 million in total). The rest of the population of Bulgaria is not so numerous and has a different origin. There are about 150 thousand Russians. Sofia is the largest Bulgarian city. Officially, about 1 million people live here. A little more in the aggregate falls on 3 other large cities in Bulgaria: Varna, Plovdiv and Burgas.

When opening a business in Bulgaria, you should definitely pay special attention to the place for organizing your business. That is why the determining factors will be the scope of your activity and the city corresponding to it. Bulgaria has historically been a favorite resort for Eastern European countries. Moreover, almost all year round, with the exception of October and November, tourists always have the opportunity to visit the most beautiful natural landscape places and cultural and historical sights of Bulgaria. For example, Burgas, Varna, Riviera, Albena, Golden Sands and other tourist places are traditionally considered beach resorts on the Black Sea coast. From December to February, the ski resorts of Borovets, Bansko and Pamporovo are popular. Some people really like to visit the balneological Bulgarian resorts of Sandanski, Hissar and Velingrad.

The tourism industry is constantly evolving. And after the country's accession to the EEC and NATO, all industries are trying to bring to European standards. Membership in the European Union contributes to the growth of the attractiveness of this small southern country among tourists from many countries. The immigration program cultivated in Bulgaria is also designed to attract investors for permanent residence in order to create additional various business conditions and raise the country's economy.

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Reviews about business in Bulgaria

Reading reviews on the forums, one often has to discover for oneself that Russian communities in Bulgaria, in comparison with other countries popular for our citizens (USA, Israel, Germany, etc.), do not exist. The same reviews testify that the business “for their own” in Bulgaria will not find much demand. As in any civilized state, the Bulgarian market is divided into large and medium (or small) businesses. The first option involves "big money" and large organizations providing various services and goods. Here, it will be very difficult for a beginner, and even more so for a visitor from another country, which cannot be said about the second option. Reading the reviews, you understand that immigrants who are engaged in medium or small businesses will have much more success.

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How to choose a business niche

When choosing how best to do business in Bulgaria, it is best to first decide where you will feel like a fish in water. If you are a pro in computers and other electronics, then you need to move in this direction, and not deal with, for example, colors. The main thing that is required of you as much as possible is the experience you have in one direction or another. Some, having opened their own business in Bulgaria, receive excellent profits from it, while others can get so far that they will hardly have to make ends meet, paying for the rent of the premises, wages, etc.

In order not to get into trouble, having decided, you should analyze the existing market in detail. This can be done by making inquiries through relatives or acquaintances living in that country. You can, in extreme cases, use the Internet by visiting sites and forums with reviews where Russian immigrants share their life experiences.

By the way, the majority of Russian immigrants settled in Bulgaria back in the 80s and 90s, when it was common to register marriages between Russians and Bulgarians. Determine the most relevant and promising areas of business activity, study the experience of competitors in this area, delve into the details of registering and organizing your business. The main thing is to guess the direction of your business.

The ideal option, especially if you are new to this field, is to purchase a ready-made business that has already shown itself well. Buying a ready-made business has a large number of pros and cons. Of course, a good and profitable business will cost accordingly. Therefore, choosing your business niche, it is important to start from your own budget in the first place. If buying a ready-made business is not included in your plans, then come up with a business idea that will allow you to invest just as much money, which, in which case, it will not be so scary to lose. There is always a matter of chance.

One of the main advantages of Bulgaria as a country for business among many other countries is quite democratic taxation on the income of individuals or legal entities (only 10%). Some of the clear advantages of opening a business in Bulgaria are: low rental prices for commercial premises, a wide and underdeveloped field of activity for running your own business, as well as an easy and affordable entry into the European market. In addition, the state is quite loyal to citizens who want to engage in entrepreneurial activities. So, for example, by registering your own company, you will be allowed to acquire a land plot or purchase real estate in a rural area. In addition, operating firms have the opportunity to purchase products from other manufacturers in installments, which is especially convenient with low start-up capital.

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The best "five"

After analyzing the current needs of the people of Bulgaria, we can identify a number of the most promising areas for starting your own business. These are just a few of the most successful business areas that you can always supplement by working on other areas of activity by making the appropriate inquiries:

1. Provision of services for the repair and decoration of apartments. In Bulgaria, there are large companies that provide such services to large customers. For small, private orders, such organizations, as a rule, are not taken. Therefore, it would be quite advisable to start your small business with small private works. All you have to do is place an ad in the newspaper, and one of the local residents will definitely decide to take advantage of this or that offer, whether it is painting something, whitewashing, changing the lock or installing cabinet furniture. Some simply do not have free time for this, while others do not understand such things at all. Over time, developing your business, it will be possible to expand your activities,. This trendy destination is driven by an increased demand for real estate due to a large influx of tourists (tourism figures show this). After all, tourists want to be able to visit Bulgaria all year round, having their own corner.
2. A variety of beauty salons, hairdressers, solariums, nail services, spa treatments, etc. are very popular in Bulgaria. This is one of the win-win options, as many of the fair sex are ready to lay out large sums to always remain well-groomed and attractive. After registering and purchasing the necessary working equipment, you will need to find an experienced professional master who will help establish a strong reputation for high-quality and modern service for your salon. Most often, such a business appeals precisely to women, to whom this is all quite simple and familiar. And some, especially at first, can work as a master themselves in order to better try out the “local cuisine”.
3. IT and computer technologies. This business niche is very interesting for ordinary people in Bulgaria. If you are knowledgeable in this area, then this idea is definitely for you. A good online store would become very popular, where anyone with a plastic card with money in their account could purchase certain goods. As an alternative, you can open a network store or simply sell computers and various computer equipment.
4. Tourism. Opening a travel company, you will never lose. Registration of a company with the relevant authorities will seem like a trifle to you, compared to our Russian authorities. Since the entry into force in 2008 of a law regulating business activities and simplifying the registration of start-up businessmen, the pace of industry in Bulgaria has increased. Currently, more than 50% of the working population in Bulgaria is engaged in the development of their own small and medium-sized businesses. In addition, Bulgarian travel agencies bring significant income to their state and account for 10% of the total GDP. The cost of tours to Bulgaria is relatively low, so such offers will always be in demand. Moreover, you can always organize tours to other popular tourist countries. In Bulgaria, in summer you can plunge into the waters of the Black Sea and bask in the hot sun, and in winter you can actively relax in a ski resort.
5. . Opening a cafe or a small bar will always be in demand in Bulgaria. They drink tea and coffee here from morning to evening. And lovers to drink something stronger can be found everywhere. Of course, it is worth considering that the prices for alcohol here are low. Plus, you should not focus your business on Russian cuisine and former citizens from Russia. For snack bars and other catering places, Bulgaria is quite fertile ground.