Employer of Record is a grey area in Bulgaria. There is no EOR category in the law; the one statutory way for a company to employ someone who works under another company’s direction is the temporary-work enterprise, which must be registered with the Employment Agency and may use only fixed-term contracts, for a specific job or to replace an absent employee, for no more than 30% of the client’s staff. Kinstellar says in practice EORs combine this regime with outsourcing under a service contract (Kinstellar, 2022, checked 2026-10-07).
Employer contributions are 18.92% of gross up to a monthly ceiling, EUR 4,972.46 a year on both example salaries (EUR 45,000 and EUR 90,000), because both are above the ceiling (mlsp.government.bg, checked 2026-10-07). The EOR fee comes on top: list prices in our table run from $99 to $699 per month.
Bulgaria is set apart by a public register of temporary-work enterprises (152 entries on 2026-10-07) and a client liability: since 2025-01-01 a client that signs with an unregistered agency is jointly liable for its taxes, contributions and VAT (Employment Agency, ZNZ extract, checked 2026-10-07).
An Employer of Record fits a project hire or cover for an absent employee that you direct. An open-ended role does not fit the agency regime: ask the provider how the contract is built. An independent specialist can work as a contractor (how to pay contractors).
Employing someone in Bulgaria: key facts
Bulgaria sets one national minimum wage and one employer contribution of 18.92% of gross, charged up to a monthly ceiling. Everything below is statutory unless marked as a law-firm or secondary source; the Labour Code was read in an archived copy of lex.bg with amendments up to State Gazette No 70 of 2024 and provisions in force from 2025-06-01.
Minimum wage
One national rate for a full working month, in euro since 2026-01-01 (Council of Ministers Decree No 243 of 2025-11-13) (dv.parliament.bg, checked 2026-10-07).
National minimum gross wage, EUR per month, in force on 31 December each year. 2021-2025 are the lev rates converted at the fixed rate BGN 1.95583 = EUR 1; the 2022 rate applies from 2022-04-01 (BGN 650, EUR 332.34, applied before). Source: State Gazette decrees, checked 2026-10-07.
Employer contributions
The employer pays six contributions for an employee born after 1959 in a non-hazardous job, IT activity (KID 62). The employee’s 13.78% is withheld from gross and is not employer cost (nssi.bg, checked 2026-10-07).
Item
Employer rate
Ceiling
Source
Pension fund
8.22%
EUR 2,111.64 a month to 2026-07-31; EUR 2,300.00 from 2026-08-01
At the ceiling the employer pays EUR 399.52 a month before 2026-08-01 and EUR 435.16 from that date (our arithmetic).
TZPB runs 0.4-1.1% by economic activity. If an EOR entity is classified under the staff-hire code (KID 78), the 2026 appendices give 0.5%; we did not verify which code applies to an EOR.
Not in the percentages: the employer pays 70% of average daily pay for the first two working days of sick leave (KSO Art. 40(5)).
The rates were the same in 2021-2026; only the ceiling moved, so the same EUR 45,000 salary cost EUR 3,482.52 in 2021 and EUR 4,972.46 in 2026 (converted at the fixed rate, our sums from the annual budget acts).
Working hours and overtime
Standard week: 40 hours over 5 days, up to 8 hours a day (Labour Code Art. 136) (lex.bg, checked 2026-10-07).
Overtime is prohibited by default and allowed only in the cases listed in Art. 144, up to 150 hours per employee a year; a collective agreement can raise this to 300 (Art. 146).
Minimum uplift: 50% on working days, 75% on rest days, 100% on official holidays (Art. 262(1)). Employees with non-standardised hours get no pay for working-day overtime (Art. 263(1)).
Annual leave and public holidays
Annual leave: at least 20 working days (Art. 155(4)). A first-time employee can take leave after 4 months of service; on leaving earlier the employee is paid for unused leave (Art. 155(2)-(3), 224) (lex.bg, checked 2026-10-07).
Public holidays: 14 listed in Art. 154(1): 1 Jan, 3 Mar, 1 May, 6 May, 24 May, 6 Sep, 22 Sep, 24-26 Dec, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday (Orthodox Easter).
If a holiday other than Easter falls on a weekend, the next one or two working days are non-working (Art. 154(2)). 1 November is listed but is a non-attendance day only for educational institutions. The count of 14 is our arithmetic on the list.
Probation
Up to 6 months, and up to 1 month if the contract is for less than a year (Art. 70(1)). The contract says in whose favour it is agreed; that party can end the contract without notice until it expires (Art. 71(1)) (lex.bg, checked 2026-10-07).
Probation can be agreed only once for the same job, worker and employer (Art. 70(5)).
Notice and severance
Employer dismissal needs a statutory ground (Art. 328(1): closure, redundancy, reduced work volume, lack of qualities, insufficient qualification) and written notice of 30 days for an open-ended contract, longer if agreed but not over 3 months. For a fixed-term contract the notice is 3 months but not more than the rest of the term. The employee’s notice is the same 30 days (lex.bg, checked 2026-10-07).
Termination by agreement against compensation of not less than 4 gross monthly salaries (Art. 331(2)).
Severance: none on every dismissal. For closure, redundancy and similar grounds, gross pay for the time out of work, up to 1 month (Art. 222(1)); illness termination, 2 months with 5+ years of service (Art. 222(2)); after the right to a retirement pension, 2 months, or 6 months with 10 years of service with the employer (Art. 222(3)).
13th salary and bonuses
Not mandatory. We found no statutory 13th or 14th salary in the Labour Code text; bonuses are set by contract, collective agreement or internal rules.
Mandatory benefits
No statutory private health, life or pension insurance beyond the contributions above; meal vouchers are optional (nssi.bg, checked 2026-10-07). This comes from the Labour Code and KSO texts we read, not a full survey.
For a worker sent by a temporary-work enterprise, the client must insure the worker at its own expense under Art. 52 of the Health and Safety at Work Act (Labour Code Art. 107т(1)(9)). We did not open that act.
Work permits
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens: free movement, no permit.
Non-EU nationals: the Labour Migration and Labour Mobility Act (ZTMTM) and the Foreigners Act. The main route for a skilled hire is the EU Blue Card: a degree (for IT specialists, 3+ years of experience can replace it) and a gross salary of at least 1.5 times the average gross salary in Bulgaria (az.government.bg, checked 2026-10-07).
Timing: the Employment Agency gives an opinion within 10 days and the decision takes 3 months, extendable by 15 days; the permit runs up to 5 years; changing employer in the first 12 months needs a new application.
The 2026 euro threshold was not confirmed from an official source; a secondary guide says about EUR 2,054 a month.
Whether a temporary-work enterprise can be the permit employer for a third-country national placed with a client is not confirmed: the Employment Agency page says nothing about it and we found no exclusion. The ZTMTM text we read is the 2021 consolidated version, which caps third-country nationals at 20% of the employer’s average headcount (35% for SMEs) and ties the permit to the named employer; whether that still applies is not verified.
Currency and payroll
Euro since 2026-01-01; lev amounts were converted at the fixed rate BGN 1.95583 = EUR 1 (ecb.europa.eu, checked 2026-10-07). Pay is monthly: by default an advance and a final payment each month, though a single monthly payment can be agreed; it goes to the employee’s payment account on written request (Labour Code Art. 270(2)-(3)) (lex.bg, checked 2026-10-07). European Central Bank rate on 2026-10-06: 1 EUR = 1.1269 USD (ecb.europa.eu, checked 2026-10-07).
Is Employer of Record legal in Bulgaria?
Grey area. Bulgaria has no EOR category. The one statutory way for a company to employ a worker who works under another company’s direction is the temporary-work enterprise regime (Labour Code Art. 107р-107ч, Employment Promotion Act (ZNZ) Art. 74е-74п). It does not fit an ordinary open-ended EOR hire. We found no court ruling or ministry opinion on the EOR product. The law-firm view we read is Kinstellar (March 2022): “EORs are not regulated by Bulgarian law. In Bulgaria, their business most often falls within the scope of temporary-work agencies or qualifies as outsourcing services.” It adds that outsourcing rests on a service contract, with no requirement that staff contracts be temporary, and that providers often combine both models; unclear contracts can lead to fines for provider and client and to the client’s joint liability for pay and social security (kinstellar.com, checked 2026-10-07). That combination is their account of practice, not something we confirmed. See also the Employer of Record glossary entry.
The rules that matter to a client:
Registration. An agency operates only on registration with the Employment Agency (Labour Code Art. 107р(7); ZNZ Art. 74е(1)). Applicants are local persons or foreign legal entities carrying out commercial activity in Bulgaria, with no unpaid state or municipal debts, no insolvency, representatives without intentional-crime convictions, no terminated registration or penalties in the previous three years, internal rules with draft contracts, and a group insurance or an unconditional irrevocable bank guarantee of BGN 200,000 (EUR 102,258.38 at the fixed rate; we did not check whether the act has been re-denominated in euro) for the workers’ claims (az.government.bg, checked 2026-10-07).
Procedure and cost. Electronic application with a qualified signature; decision within 14 days; certificate valid 5 years; fee EUR 522.03 from 2026-01-01; every year by 30 June the enterprise files its insurance or guarantee documents (az.government.bg, checked 2026-10-07).
Purpose limit. The contract with the agency follows the fixed-term rules and may be concluded only until completion of a specific job or to replace an absent employee, and it must say the worker is sent to a client to work under its direction and control (Art. 107р(1), (4)). Open-ended contracts for permanent roles are not provided for (lex.bg, checked 2026-10-07).
30% cap. The workers an agency sends to one client may not exceed 30% of all workers at the client (Art. 107р(2)). Not allowed: hazardous first- and second-category work, national security and defence enterprises, and enterprises where a strike is under way. How the cap works for a foreign client with no other Bulgarian staff is not addressed in any source we found.
Equal treatment. The client gives the worker the basic working and employment conditions it gives its own workers on the same or similar job, and the worker may not be placed in a less favourable position (Art. 107т(2), 107х(2)).
Who does what. The agency is the employer for payroll, pay, social and health insurance, employment documents and dismissal (Art. 107с(5)). The client sets the workplace, issues the job description, instructs on health and safety, records working time, sets pay amounts including overtime, and may propose discipline or replacement (Art. 107т(1), (6)). A written agreement between agency and client is mandatory (Art. 107у(2)).
No hiring bans. A clause preventing the worker from being employed by the client during or after the assignment is not allowed, and the agency may not charge the worker a fee (Art. 107р(5)-(6)).
Foreign agencies. An agency registered in another EU/EEA/Swiss state or a third country that sends a worker to a Bulgarian client falls under the posting-of-workers rules (Art. 121a): at least Bulgaria’s minimum working conditions apply, and an employment relationship with the sending agency must exist throughout. Whether a foreign EOR entity can serve a Bulgaria-resident remote worker of a foreign client under this article was not found in any source.
Risks the client carries:
Unregistered agency, joint liability. A client that signed a temporary-work contract with an agency not registered under Chapter 8a of the ZNZ is jointly liable for the taxes, mandatory contributions and VAT due from the agency for the sent workers, up to the unpaid amount for the period (ZNZ Art. 74л(7), in force since 2025-01-01). Check the provider by name in the Employment Agency’s public register before signing (az.government.bg, checked 2026-10-07).
Joint liability to the worker. The agency and the client answer jointly for obligations to the worker arising in connection with the assigned work (Art. 107у(3)) (lex.bg, checked 2026-10-07).
Fines. Labour Code Art. 415е extends the penalty section to the client. Base fine for breach of labour law: BGN 1,500-15,000 for the enterprise (about EUR 766.94-7,669.38) and BGN 1,000-10,000 for the responsible officer (about EUR 511.29-5,112.92); repeat breach BGN 15,000-20,000 (Art. 414). Amounts are in lev as in the archived text and converted by us; we did not read which fine applies to a breach of Arts 107р-107у or the ZNZ penalties for an unregistered agency.
Client duties. Health and safety instruction, working-time records, equal treatment and insuring the worker stay with the client; breaching them is a labour-law breach for the client (Art. 107т, 415е).
Intellectual property. Kinstellar notes that because the client is not a party to the employment contract, the presumption that software created in employment belongs to the employer may not benefit the client; copyright can remain with the EOR unless the agreements say otherwise. That is the firm’s view, which we did not check against the Copyright Act.
Misuse of the route. We found no source on what follows for a client if the contract is outside the two permitted grounds or above the 30% cap.
We compared 19 providers with the Employment Agency’s register of temporary-work enterprises (152 entries on 2026-10-07) by name, and used the Trade Register where a company ID was available. The register shows name, certificate number and dates, but not the company ID or owner, so we could not search it by ID and link a register entry to a vendor only through the vendor’s own statement or a matching name. “Not found by name” is not non-compliance: a vendor may hire through a company with a different name or another model.
Says “at Remote, we own our own legal entity in Bulgaria” (remote.com). Its Local Terms name Remote Bulgaria EOOD, UIC 206307734, and describe a “Temporary Working Agency Model” and a “Consultancy Model”. The Trade Register shows the company, entered 2020-11-24, with Remote Europe Holding B.V. as sole owner. In the agency register as no. 354, reissued 2025-12-19, valid to 2030-12-15
Says “To employ your workers in a compliant way locally in Bulgaria, Boundless holds a temporary agency licence” (boundlesshq.com). A company named “Баундлес Пейрол България” ЕООД is in the agency register as no. 397, valid to 2027-04-21; we could not find its company ID or owner, so the tie is the vendor’s licence statement plus the matching name. The model is a fixed-term contract that ends with the project
Says “Oyster holds its own legal entity in Bulgaria, so you are never relying on a third-party sub-vendor to employ your people” (oysterhr.com); no entity named. Not found in the register by name
The Bulgaria page says “Skuad acts as the legal employer in Bulgaria” and, on work permits, “Skuad’s local partner in Bulgaria acts as an employer, sponsors work permits for the employee”. No entity named; not found in the register by name
Bulgaria page says only “Deel’s best-in-class Employer of Record setup allows us to handle local laws, tax and benefits”. Not found in the register by name
A company named “Велосити Глобал България” ЕООД (Velocity Global Bulgaria) is in the agency register as no. 395, valid to 2027-04-08; we found no company ID or owner. Pebl’s Bulgaria page doesn’t state it
Guide says “RemoFirst will hire and pay your employee on your behalf while you manage their daily duties”; no entity named. Not found in the register by name
Bulgaria page says “RemotePeople acts as the legal employer on paper, runs local payroll, withholds tax at source”; no entity named. Not found in the register by name
Bulgaria page says “An EOR already has a legal entity in Bulgaria”, about EORs in general; its FAQ says it works “through its network of owned entities and trusted local partners” worldwide. Not found in the register by name
Bulgaria page is a labour-law reference; its pricing page says “Owned and operated entities in 160+ countries”, with no country list. Not found in the register by name
Bulgaria page says “the EOR can employ the workers a company needs and lease them to that company”, about EORs in general. Not found in the register by name
Help article lists Bulgaria among its EOR countries and names no entity. Not found in the register by name
Not published
All checked 2026-10-07. “Own entity (in register)” means a company the vendor ties to itself is in the Employment Agency register; “Own entity (vendor says)” rests on the vendor’s statement alone. Prices are USD per month; only Deel’s is from a Bulgarian page.
Own entity counts a register entry tied to the vendor by its own statement (Remote, Boundless) or the vendor’s statement alone (Oyster, Native Teams). Skuad names both itself and a local partner as employer. Source: vendor country pages, Employment Agency register, Trade Register, checked 2026-10-07.
Fourteen of the 19 don’t say who the Bulgarian employer is, and one names two. That matters because the Employment Agency register is the only public sign we found of the registration the law asks for, and a client that signs with an unregistered agency carries joint liability for its taxes and contributions. Before signing, ask: “Which Bulgarian company signs my employee’s contract, what is its Employment Agency certificate number, and is the contract fixed-term or open-ended?”
How to choose an EOR in Bulgaria
Is the hire a project or an open-ended role? The agency route allows fixed-term contracts only, for a specific job or to replace an absent employee. Boundless says its Bulgarian model is a contract that ends with the project, and Remote’s Local Terms describe two models, a temporary working agency and a consultancy one. If you expect a permanent hire, ask the provider in writing which contract type your employee would sign and what happens at its end.
Want a visible legal basis? Remote and Boundless are the two with a company tied to them in the register; Pebl has a similarly named company there, which it doesn’t state. Ask whichever you shortlist for the certificate number and check it against the register, which showed 152 entries on 2026-10-07.
Hiring a non-EU national? The main route is the EU Blue Card, and we found no rule that bars or allows an agency as the permit employer. Skuad says its local partner sponsors work permits and puts the process at 3 to 4 weeks; Playroll says a permit can add 1-3 months and Rivermate up to 4 months (vendor claims). Ask who files, under which route, and check the 30% cap.
Price against completeness? Only Deel shows a Bulgarian price, $599 per month. Global list prices run from $99 (Native Teams) to $699 (Remote and Oyster). Price tells you nothing about the legal basis; compare it after you have the answers above.
Why it fitsSays it owns its Bulgarian entity; Remote Bulgaria EOOD is in the Trade Register and the temporary-work register (no. 354). $699/month, global.
A Dublin-based EOR/AOR platform, now part of Payoneer Workforce Management, with transparent published pricing and a rare public refusal to operate in Spain — but thin entity disclosure and reviews.
7.0/10
★ 4.8 · 28 reviews
EOR price
From $199/mo per employee
Coverage
110+ countries
Time to hire
Vendor claim: hire "within a few days"; no SLA published
Support
Avg response <1hr, resolution <1 day; no 24/7 claim
What stands out
Published, comparatively low EOR starting price ($199/€175/£149 per employee/month) with no setup fees
Only vendor reviewed that publicly refuses EOR in Spain and explains the legal reasoning
Confirmed direct-licence or entity registration in Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK
Not a fit for
buyers needing documented owned-vs-partner entity status in every target market
teams wanting a dedicated Contractor-of-Record product — Boundless's AOR keeps contractors self-employed
Why it fitsSays it holds a temporary agency licence; a company of its name (no. 397) is in the agency register. Project-bound fixed-term contract. No price found.
A work-and-payments platform that combines EOR, a dedicated Contractor of Record product, contractor payments and global payroll across 95+ countries, with unusually transparent published 'starts at' pricing for a global-employment vendor.
7.9/10
★ 4.7 · 367 reviews
EOR price
Starts at $99/per employee per month
Coverage
95+ countries
Time to hire
Not stated as a number; vendor claims '3x faster onboarding' (relative claim only)
Certifications
GDPR, SOC 2, ISO, PCI DSS
What stands out
EOR, Contractor of Record, contractor pay and global payroll on one platform
transparent published 'starts at' pricing ($19-$149/mo) — rare among EOR vendors
dedicated CoR product in which Native Teams is the contracting party for the contractor, which reduces misclassification risk
Not a fit for
buyers needing a named, audited certification set (specific ISO 27001 / SOC 2 type)
A global hiring platform (now a Payoneer company) covering 160+ countries across EOR, Agent of Record and contractor management, with rare published starting prices — strong for buyers who want transparent entry pricing and broad coverage in one tool.
8.0/10
★ 4.6 · 312 reviews
EOR price
Starting from $199 per employee/month
Coverage
160+ countries
Time to hire
Not publicly stated
What stands out
broad coverage: 160+ countries for EOR and contractors
published starting prices (EOR $199, AOR $99, CMS $19 per month)
payroll in 70 currencies
Not a fit for
buyers who require named security certifications (SOC 2/ISO 27001) published before purchase
buyers needing a dedicated Contractor of Record product
A 12-year EOR (rebranded from Velocity Global in 2025) with a large G2 review base and analyst recognition across 185+ countries, but thin transparency on entity ownership and pricing.
7.8/10
★ 4.6 · 603 reviews
EOR price
$399/mo per employee
Coverage
185+ countries
Time to hire
Vendor claim: 'as little as 24 hours', no entity needed
Certifications
SOC 2 Type 2, ISO/IEC 27001:2022, GDPR
Support
Vendor claim: guidance available any time, in-house experts
What stands out
12-year track record (est. 2014) with $1B in annual global payroll processed and 200+ in-house legal experts
SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified; states GDPR-principle compliance
Large, strongly rated G2 footprint: 4.6/5 from 597 reviews
Not a fit for
buyers needing a true Contractor-of-Record product, not general contractor management
teams that require a fully disclosed owned-vs-partner entity count before signing
A global employment specialist with EOR in 150+ countries on an owned-entity network, a dedicated Contractor of Record, global payroll and published flat pricing — strong for compliant hiring across many markets with transparent EOR/contractor costs.
8.4/10
★ 4.7 · 2168 reviews
EOR price
Starting at $400 per month
Coverage
150+ countries
Time to hire
Vendor claim: onboard global hires in 24 hours; compliant contract in 5 minutes (not an SLA)
Certifications
SOC 2 Type I, SOC 2 Type II, SOC 3, ISO 27001:2022
What stands out
EOR live in 150+ countries on an owned-entity network
dedicated Contractor of Record (classification, contracts, tax, payments)
published flat pricing for EOR ($400) and contractors ($40), no minimum headcount
Not a fit for
buyers needing an all-in-one HR/IT/Finance suite beyond global employment
buyers who require published global-payroll list pricing up front
A transparently-priced EOR and contractor platform with broad 180+ country coverage and unusually strong Africa/Middle East reach. Best for cost-conscious SMBs that want published prices and hands-on support over deep automation.
7.6/10
★ 4.7 · 209 reviews
EOR price
$399 per employee/month (no minimum)
Coverage
180+ countries
Time to hire
Vendor claim: EOR onboarding in 2-5 days; compliant contract generated in ~5 minutes
Certifications
SOC 2, GDPR
Support
24/5
What stands out
Transparent flat pricing: EOR $399/employee/mo, contractor $35/contractor/mo, no onboarding/offboarding fees
Broad 180+ country coverage with strong Africa/MENA reach
Fast self-claimed onboarding (2-5 days) and well-reviewed dedicated CSM/ESM support
Not a fit for
enterprises needing deep HRIS/finance integrations
buyers needing a dedicated Contractor of Record product
A budget-friendly, transparently-priced EOR with broad headline coverage (185+ countries) and a free contractor-management tier. Strongest for cost-conscious teams that want published prices up front rather than a sales quote.
7.8/10
★ 4.4 · 440 reviews
EOR price
Starts at $199 per employee/month
Coverage
185+ countries
Time to hire
Vendor claim: 1-3 days in most locations once documentation and contracts are approved
Certifications
ISO 27001, SOC 2 Type II, GDPR
Support
24/5 customer support; 24/7 for hiring managers and global employees
What stands out
Transparent published pricing: EOR from $199/employee/month, free contractor tier, $25/mo premium contractor tier
Broad headline coverage: EOR in 185+ countries, contractors in 150+, visas/work permits in 110+
Stated no setup fees, minimum contracts or termination fees
Not a fit for
buyers needing a dedicated Contractor of Record product
enterprises requiring extensive compliance attestations beyond ISO 27001 / SOC 2 Type II
A profitable, VC-free global-employment company that rebranded from Horizons in 2026, with strong G2/Capterra scores — but a split brand identity and no disclosed owned-vs-partner entity count.
7.8/10
★ 4.6 · 495 reviews
EOR price
From $199/mo per employee
Coverage
150+ countries
Time to hire
Local contracts in 24-48 hrs; up to 2-4 weeks elsewhere
Certifications
SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, GDPR
Support
Business hours; avg response <2hrs (top tier)
What stands out
Founded 2018 and profitable without VC funding - a longer, more stable track record than several younger rivals
Consistently high G2 (4.7/334) and Capterra (4.9/72) scores
Widest product range reviewed here: EOR, COR, contractor management, global payroll, US PEO, recruitment, incorporation
Not a fit for
buyers wanting a single, unchanging brand name and URL for contracts
teams that require a disclosed, numeric owned-vs-partner entity split before signing
A global HR and payroll platform with a notable focus on the Middle East, Africa and other emerging markets. RemotePass covers EOR, a dedicated Contractor of Record, contractor management and local payroll across 150 countries, and is one of the few in this set to publish list pricing.
7.9/10
★ 4.4 · 804 reviews
EOR price
Starting at $349/mo per employee (includes tax)
Coverage
150+ countries
Time to hire
Onboard new team members within days
Certifications
SOC 2 Type I, SOC 2 Type II, GDPR
What stands out
dedicated Contractor of Record that explicitly addresses worker-misclassification risk
published per-seat pricing for EOR ($349), CoR ($299), Local Payroll ($15) and Contractors ($39)
strong MENA/emerging-markets coverage incl. KSA and UAE, with visa sponsorship and relocation
Not a fit for
buyers needing the very broadest country footprint
buyers requiring ISO 27001 or SOC 1 attestations stated up front
A young but fast-growing global-employment platform (180+ countries) with a real owned-entity core (38 entities), transparent flat pricing and standout human support. Best for SMBs — especially European — that value hands-on support and predictable pricing over deep automation.
7.6/10
★ 4.4 · 391 reviews
EOR price
From ~€299 per employee/month (varies by country/headcount)
Coverage
180+ countries
Entity model
38 owned
Time to hire
Vendor claim: ~48 hours in standard markets, same-day in some; longer in complex jurisdictions
Certifications
SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, GDPR
Support
24/7
What stands out
Broad 180+ country reach with a real owned-entity core (38 entities), not pure-partner
Transparent flat pricing; no setup/offboarding fees or annual lock-in
Fast onboarding (~48h standard) and strongly-rated 24/7 human support
Not a fit for
enterprises needing deep HRIS/finance integrations and advanced analytics
A young (2023) AI-native EOR with transparent flat pricing across EOR, contractor management and payroll — but unverifiable country-ownership claims and a thinner track record than established rivals.
A long-running (2015) direct-entity EOR — broadest owned-entity claim (160+ countries), a capped misclassification-protection AOR product, but no Contractor of Record and thin independent review volume.
7.7/10
★ 4.2 · 101 reviews
EOR price
From $599/mo per employee
Coverage
160+ countries
Entity model
no partners
Time to hire
Vendor claims conflict: 'days' vs '2 weeks'; no SLA
Certifications
ISO 27001, ISO 27017, ISO 27018, GDPR
Support
24-hour support team (vendor claim); 15+ languages
What stands out
160+ countries with owned legal entities and no third-party partners — the widest such claim reviewed
Transparent, publicly listed pricing for both EOR ($599/employee/month) and AOR ($199/contractor/month)
AOR ships with a capped, quantified Classification Protection benefit ($100k/contractor/month, $1M aggregate per client)
Not a fit for
buyers needing a true Contractor-of-Record product, not an authorized-agent AOR
companies with their own local entities needing standalone global payroll
The oldest, most analyst-recognized EOR (founded 2012) — deepest certification stack and widest documented country footprint, but no owned-entity disclosure or dedicated Contractor of Record product.
8.3/10
★ 4.4
EOR price
From $599/mo per employee
Coverage
180+ countries
Time to hire
Vendor claim: 'hire anywhere in minutes'; no SLA published
One of the oldest players in the category (payroll since 2008, EOR since 2009/2010) — a large logo base and solid ratings, but no published pricing and a mixed entity model.
7.5/10
★ 4.2 · 141 reviews
EOR price
On request
Coverage
187+ countries
Time to hire
Vendor claim: 2 days once accepted; 1-2 weeks standard
Certifications
GDPR
What stands out
Founded 2008, among the longest-operating vendors in the category; still led by founder/CEO Bjorn Reynolds
1,500+ organizations served, and independently registry-confirmed owned entities in at least Spain and Singapore
NelsonHall NEAT 2025 Leader (Global EOR services) and a G2 Fall 2026 Leader badge for Contractor Management
Not a fit for
buyers who want to compare EOR pricing without a sales call
teams that need one uniform, publicly-verifiable owned-entity story across every country
A unified workforce platform (HR, IT and Finance) with EOR in 80 countries and contractor payments in 185+ — strongest when you want employees, contractors, payroll, apps and devices managed in one system.
8.3/10
★ 4.8 · 23k reviews
EOR price
Custom quote
Coverage
80+ countries
Time to hire
≈5 days to payday in popular markets (12 in less common)
Certifications
SOC 1 Type II, SOC 2 Type II, SOC 3, CSA STAR Level 2
What stands out
EOR live in 80 countries; contractor payments in 185+ and 50+ currencies
unified HR, IT and Finance platform
broad security/compliance (SOC 1/2/3 Type II, ISO 27001/27018/42001)
Not a fit for
buyers who need published, transparent EOR pricing up front
Primarily a US PEO and payroll platform — audited (SOC 1/2, ESAC, IRS CPEO) — with a newer, smaller EOR product covering 43 documented countries at a flat $599/employee/month.
companies needing EOR coverage outside Justworks' ~43 documented countries
What it costs to employ someone in Bulgaria through an EOR
The EOR is a large-payroll employer, with an office or IT employee (KID 62) born after 1959 on an ordinary contract in non-hazardous work, 2026. Gross pay is EUR 45,000 and EUR 90,000 a year (EUR 3,750 and EUR 7,500 a month), about USD 50,700 and USD 101,000 at the European Central Bank rate of 1 EUR = 1.1269 USD on 2026-10-06 (ecb.europa.eu, checked 2026-10-07).
Employer statutory contributions only, before the EOR’s own fee. Both salaries are above the monthly ceiling, so the same base of EUR 26,281.48 applies. Source: Social Insurance Budget Act 2026, checked 2026-10-07.
Gross salary
Employer statutory cost
Share of gross
Components
EUR 45,000
EUR 4,972.46 (EUR 414.37 a month, our division)
11.05%
Base 7 x 2,111.64 + 5 x 2,300.00 = 26,281.48. Pension 2,160.34; sickness and maternity 551.91; unemployment 157.69; DZPO 735.88; health 1,261.51; TZPB 105.13; GVRS 0
EUR 90,000
EUR 4,972.46 (EUR 414.37 a month)
5.52%
Same base and components: 18.92% x 26,281.48 = 4,972.46
Why the cost is the same. Contributions are charged only on pay up to the monthly ceiling, which changed during 2026: EUR 2,111.64 from January to July and EUR 2,300 from 2026-08-01. Both monthly salaries are above it every month, so a higher salary adds no employer contribution. If a contract starts on 2026-08-01, the annual base is EUR 27,600, which gives EUR 5,221.92 (our arithmetic). The rates were unchanged in 2021-2026; the amount has moved only with the ceiling (EUR 3,482.52 on EUR 45,000 in 2021), so a history chart would show the ceiling, not a rate. The figures for 2021-2025 are lev amounts converted at the fixed rate BGN 1.95583 = EUR 1.
If the EOR entity is classified under the staff-hire activity code (KID 78), work-accident insurance is 0.5% and the total is EUR 4,998.74 (19.02%); we did not verify which code applies to an EOR.
Not included: the employer-paid first two days of sick leave at 70% of average daily pay, voluntary benefits, severance, leave pay and the EOR fee. The employee’s 13.78%, EUR 3,621.60 a year on this base, is withheld from gross and is not employer cost. There is no statutory 13th salary to add.
The EOR’s own fee comes on top. Only Deel shows a price on a Bulgarian page, $599 per month. Global list prices, where no Bulgarian figure exists, run from $99 (Native Teams) to $699 (Remote and Oyster) per month; the per-vendor figures are in the table above. Boundless, Pebl, G-P, Safeguard Global, Rippling and Justworks publish none that we could find.
Hidden costs, where published:
Oyster says it does not add extra charges for setup and onboarding and that there are no termination charges, but requires a refundable deposit, amount not published (oysterhr.com, checked 2026-10-07).
Playroll says it charges no onboarding or offboarding fees and requires a fully refundable security deposit of one month’s salary (playroll.com, checked 2026-10-07).
RemoFirst says it has “no setup, onboarding, or termination fees, no annual contracts, and no minimums” (remofirst.com, checked 2026-10-07).
Remote People says “No setup fees, no lock-in” (remotepeople.com, checked 2026-10-07). Rivermate says “No onboarding or offboarding costs” (rivermate.com, checked 2026-10-07).
For every other vendor, setup fee, deposit, minimum term and termination fee are not published for Bulgaria. Treat a blank as unpublished, not zero.
When you don’t need an EOR
The agency route allows only fixed-term contracts for a specific job or to replace an absent employee, for up to 30% of the client’s staff (Labour Code Art. 107р). We found no rule that bars or allows an agency as the permit employer for a Blue Card hire. Source: Labour Code (archived copy), Employment Agency, checked 2026-10-07.
Your own Bulgarian entity. The route to weigh when the role is open-ended and permanent. Vendor estimates for setting one up differ: Playroll’s guide puts registering a company at four to eight weeks (playroll.com), Remote People says a greenfield entity typically takes three to six months (remotepeople.com, checked 2026-10-07). These are vendor figures, not ours.
PEO. Once you have your own entity, a PEO can run payroll and compliance for direct employees: Deel’s Bulgaria page offers this for clients that already have an entity, and Native Teams describes PEO as requiring one (deel.com, nativeteams.com, checked 2026-10-07). See EOR vs PEO.
What changed in 2026
2025-01-01: a client that signs a temporary-work contract with an unregistered agency became jointly liable for the agency’s taxes, mandatory social security contributions and VAT on the supply (ZNZ Art. 74л(7), State Gazette No 26 of 2025). It is the newest change to the agency regime that affects clients (az.government.bg, checked 2026-10-07).
2026-01-01: Bulgaria adopted the euro at BGN 1.95583 = EUR 1; statutory amounts in the Labour Code, the Social Insurance Code and the Employment Promotion Act tariff are now in euro (ecb.europa.eu, checked 2026-10-07).
2026-01-01: the minimum wage rose to EUR 620.20 a month (BGN 1,213) from BGN 1,077 (EUR 550.66) (dv.parliament.bg, checked 2026-10-07).
2026-01-01: the registration fee for a temporary-work enterprise is EUR 522.03 under the amended tariff (State Gazette No 109 of 2025) (az.government.bg, checked 2026-10-07).
2026-06-01: the transition to the electronic employment register kept by the National Revenue Agency ended, according to a consultancy blog; employers record contract conclusion or change within 3 days and termination within 7. We did not check the end date in the statute (innovires.com, checked 2026-10-07).
2026-06-07: the EU Pay Transparency Directive transposition deadline. We could not confirm a Bulgarian law; a search in September 2026 pointed to a draft amendment of the Protection against Discrimination Act, not an adopted one (innovires.com, checked 2026-10-07).
2026-08-01: the maximum monthly insurable income rose from EUR 2,111.64 to EUR 2,300.00 under the Social Insurance Budget Act 2026 (State Gazette No 68 of 2026-07-28). Contribution rates for ordinary employees did not change (nssi.bg, checked 2026-10-07).
Numbers vendors haven’t updated
Minimum wage. The rate in force is EUR 620.20 from 2026-01-01. Deel, Remote and Multiplier give EUR 620.20. Pebl’s page gives BGN 933, which was the 2024 rate (BGN 1,077 in 2025) (velocityglobal.com, checked 2026-10-07).
Insurable-income ceiling. The ceiling is EUR 2,300 from 2026-08-01 (EUR 2,111.64 before). Remote’s page gives BGN 4,130 from 2025-04-01; Skuad’s gives BGN 4,600 (about EUR 2,352) for 2026, citing a consultancy blog (remote.com, skuad.io, checked 2026-10-07).
Employer contributions. We get 18.92% in the IT activity. Rivermate’s page gives 18%; Playroll’s guide gives 18.92-19.62%. Pebl’s page lists employer health at 8% and pension at 14.8%, which are the total rates, shared with the employee: the employer’s part is 4.8% and 8.22% (rivermate.com, playroll.com, velocityglobal.com, checked 2026-10-07).
Leave and holidays. The Labour Code lets a first-time employee take leave after 4 months. RemotePass and Atlas say 20 days after 8 months; Skuad and Remote People give 4 months, as the Code does. The list of public holidays has 14 entries; Oyster says 15 (remotepass.com, atlashxm.com, oysterhr.com, checked 2026-10-07).
Sick pay. KSO Art. 40(5) puts 70% of average daily pay for the first two working days on the employer; Rippling’s page says the first three days (rippling.com, checked 2026-10-07).
How we built this page
Facts were collected and checked on 2026-10-07 against Bulgarian legislation (the Labour Code from an archived copy of lex.bg, the Social Insurance Code and budget acts, the Employment Promotion Act extract published by the Employment Agency) and one law-firm article. We checked the Employment Agency’s register of temporary-work enterprises (152 entries on 2026-10-07) for each vendor by name, and the Trade Register where a company ID was available; the register shows no company ID or owner, and where a vendor operates through a differently named company or a partner, our search cannot see it. Vendors are ordered with registered and stated own entities first, then mixed, then those that do not disclose; no vendor pays for placement.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an Employer of Record cost in Bulgaria?
Two layers. Employer contributions are 18.92% of gross up to a ceiling of EUR 2,300 a month from 2026-08-01, so EUR 4,972.46 a year on both a EUR 45,000 and a EUR 90,000 salary. The EOR fee is on top: list prices in our table run from $99 to $699 per month, and only Deel shows a price on its Bulgaria page ($599).
Is Employer of Record legal in Bulgaria?
It is a grey area. Bulgaria has no EOR category; the statutory route is the temporary-work enterprise, registered with the Employment Agency, which may employ a worker for a client only on a fixed-term contract for a specific job or to replace an absent employee, and no more than 30% of the client's staff. Kinstellar (2022) says EORs in practice combine this with outsourcing under a service contract. We found no court ruling or ministry opinion on the EOR product.
Which EOR in Bulgaria is in the temporary-work register?
By name, we found Remote (Remote Bulgaria EOOD, no. 354) and Boundless (a company of its name, no. 397) and, for Pebl, a company named Velocity Global Bulgaria (no. 395) that Pebl doesn't state. The Employment Agency register held 152 entries on 2026-10-07. Not found by name is not non-compliance: a provider may use a differently named company or another model.
What is the cheapest EOR in Bulgaria?
Native Teams lists the lowest price in our table, from $99 per month globally; Skuad, RemoFirst and Remote People start at $199. Only Deel shows a Bulgaria-specific price, $599 per month. Price says nothing about the legal basis, so ask who employs your hire first.
What are the risks of hiring through an EOR in Bulgaria?
Since 2025-01-01 a client that signs a temporary-work contract with an unregistered agency is jointly liable for the agency's taxes, social security contributions and VAT on the sent workers. The client and the agency also answer jointly for obligations to the worker, and labour-law fines apply to the client as well: BGN 1,500-15,000 for a base breach in the text we read (about EUR 767-7,669).
Should I hire a contractor instead of using an EOR in Bulgaria?
If the person works independently, yes: see [how to pay contractors in Bulgaria](/software/contractor-payouts/bulgaria/) and [our hiring guide](/hire-contractors/bulgaria/). Staff who work under your direction fit employment, and the agency route is limited to fixed terms. See [EOR vs PEO](/blog/eor-vs-peo/).
Can an EOR in Bulgaria sponsor a work visa?
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens need no permit. For a non-EU hire the main route is the EU Blue Card, which needs a salary of at least 1.5 times the average gross salary. We found no rule that bars or allows a temporary-work enterprise as the permit employer; Skuad says its local partner sponsors permits, a vendor claim.
Why do EUR 45,000 and EUR 90,000 salaries cost the same in contributions?
Contributions are charged only up to a monthly ceiling: EUR 2,111.64 from January to July 2026 and EUR 2,300 from 2026-08-01. Both salaries are above it in every month, so the base is EUR 26,281.48 and 18.92% of it is EUR 4,972.46 either way.
Where to go next
These platforms head to head
The full listings
Hiring contractors in Bulgaria instead
Employer of Record in other countries
Sources
The vendor pages every fact came from, with the date each was checked.
19 platforms tracked in this category. Every fact in the entries above comes from the vendor's own pages — each carries a footnote with the source and the date we checked it, and where a vendor publishes nothing we leave the field out rather than guess. Scores are ours and are not for sale. Full methodology · Report an error
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