Safe job search on the internet

Posted on 12 August 2024

For migrants and refugees in Bulgaria, the internet is a valuable tool for exploring job opportunities and building a new life. However, it is important to approach your online job search carefully to protect yourself from fraud and abuse. In this article you will find basic tips for a safe online job search.

What should I look out for?

1. Use credible job search websites

The most well-known websites in Bulgaria are, for example, jobs.bg, zaplata.bg, jobtiger.bg, etc. The Foundation for Access to Rights - FAR also maintains a platform for finding jobs for foreigners.

Avoid job advertisements sent to you on WhatsApp/Viber/Telegram from unknown phone numbers, as well as those posted only on Facebook and other similar social networks, especially if you do not know the person posting them. It is more likely that the job adverts in these channels are fake or fraudulent as they often have very few details about the job and the conditions offered, are posted by private individuals and do not mention a company name. We advise you to search for jobs on the above listed well-known sites or LinkedIn.

But even these can have fraudulent ads, which is why the following rules are also important:

2. Carefully read the job ads and  the work conditions

Pay attention to whether the ads have enough information about:

1. the employer;
    
2. the nature and type of work you are expected to do;
    
3. the work conditions offered (salary, holidays, breaks, bonuses, etc.); or
    
4. a phone number or email to ask about these things.

It's important to make sure the working conditions that are offered are realistic and don't sound too good to be true. For example, the minimum salary in Bulgaria is currently BGN 933 and the average salary is around BGN 2198 (these amounts are gross, i.e. before taxes and social security contributions). It is important to know this information as a guide to avoid the risk of someone paying you less than the minimum wage or offering you a salarty that is too unrealistic for the type of job

You can read more about your rights as a worker in this article:

Workers' rights in Bulgaria

3. Be careful  if they want to hire you without asking for your CV and cover letter or without an interview

It is not normal for someone to hire you without knowing who you are and what skills and experience you have. In most cases this is a sign of a fake job offer. Scammers often avoid face-to-face interviews by relying on chat services and offering "work from home" positions. At a minimum, require an online conference with the person offering the job before agreeing to anything.

4. Do not agree to work without a contract, no matter how attractive the offer sounds

In Bulgaria, there is an obligation to sign a labour contract when hiring someone. In other cases a civil contract may also be signed for providing specific services. By signing a labour contract, you guarantee that you are working legally and that you will be paid social security and taxes. Additionally, the labour contract should be accompanied by a job description which describes exactly what work you will be doing.

5. Check with the employer who has advertised 

Make sure the employer actually exists. To check this, make sure that the job offer has contact information of the employer and details of the company itself such as an official website.

Be careful for websites with misspelled or 'spoofed' company names and email addresses. These are often similar but do not exactly match the actual company name. For example, instead of"[email protected]", the email is misspelled as "Info@compАany.com".

All companies in Bulgaria should be registered in the public Commercial Register. At this link you can check that with the company name, the name of the manager or the Unique Identification Code (UIC).

You can also check the employer's official website (if there is one) to see if it looks credible. Also check if there are comments about the particular employer on social media. Ask your family and friends if they have heard of the employer and if they have any feedback about it.

6. Do not send money to the potential employer

Employers have no reason to ask you to pay any fees upfront before, and even after, you start work.

7. Don't share your personal details too early

Be careful not to share your personal details, such as your bank details, with a potential employer before you have made sure that the employer and the advert are genuine and truthful.

8. Be careful about human trafficking 

Be extremely careful when looking for work to avoid geting into a situation of human trafficking for labour exploitation. You can read how to recognise this danger and react here:

Human Trafficking

Your labour rights in Bulgaria

One of the most important things is to be aware of what labour rights you have under Bulgarian law.

• Every worker in Bulgaria is entitled to at least 20 days paid annual leave and a number of other holidays.
   
• If you work overtime, i.e. outside working hours or on public holidays, your employer must pay you extra for this overtime.
   
• Your employer must provide you with safe and healthy working conditions, i.e. if you are a construction worker, for example, you must be provided with the necessary equipment and the site must be adequately secured.
   
• Your employer must pay your social security contributions, which gives you various rights- taking sick leave, maternity leave, etc. You can read more about this here:

Social insurance in Bulgaria

How do I get sick leave in Bulgaria?

• Your employer must also pay your health insurance.

If you are struggling to find work in Bulgaria, you can fill in this refugee employment form to help you look for and find work:

Find a job