It is encouraging that the debate on a policy on foreign labour has been revived at the level of Government and senior representatives of the private sector. It is frustrating, however, that much more progress could have been made by now given that many of the same points of debate have been raised at a similar level before.

It is well known that Bulgaria faces a profound challenge to its labour market capacity because of demographic changes. This has not only to do with the exit of skills in the past 15 years, but also with the continuing negative birth rate that will erode capacity in coming decades.

The problems lie not only in the past and future, but also in the present. The problem currently with Bulgaria’s policy on foreign labour is that no such policy exists.

Thus far, the Government, and not only the current Government, has not seemed to be able to bring together in its own mind various imperatives and trends. In recent years, senior Government figures have outlined time and again the sectors of Bulgaria’s economy that are important to its strategic development. Yet it is one thing to pay lip service to these sectors, and to invite investment in them, but it is another to ensure that they have adequate human resources. It is abundantly clear by now that shortfalls in various sectors cannot be from domestic sources, and that the country needs to look abroad. Sectors such as IT are highly competitive at global level and any advantage that Bulgaria may have had is rapidly being lost.

It is an entirely valid approach to seek to recruit Bulgarians who have sought greener pastures abroad to return, bringing with them the skills that they have acquired and honed overseas. The Government and the private sector would be well advised to work in the closest possible co-operation to identify where such skilled Bulgarian expatriates may be found, and come up with incentives to encourage them to return and enrich their home soil.

But while the approach of encouraging Bulgarians to return must be encouraged and applauded, it is likely not to prove to be enough. A number of steps will be needed to augment such a measure.

One must be for the Government to implement at all levels a policy that facilitates not only foreign monetary investment, but also investment of human resources. This means, as basic first steps, reforming procedures regarding business licences and work permits. It is striking that the system of facilitating first-class investments allows for fast-tracking to assist a business to get up and running. It is a relevant question why, if it possible to speed procedures in some cases, it is not possible to do so in all cases. This is not to suggest that business, residence and work permits should be handed out to all who ask, but it is a call to take a hard look at current procedures for dealing with applications for these permits. Needless bureaucracy must be eliminated, and if necessary, offices dealing with such applications should be given better resources.

It is true that most countries take a strict approach when it comes to foreign labour, for a number of reasons including the political and economic potential problems that can arise when a widespread perception arises in the domestic labour market that foreigners are taking jobs away. At the same time, it is also true that not a few countries have built themselves up through the strategic and selective use of foreign labour.

This is a plea for Bulgaria to get serious about the latter approach, in the country’s own best interest.