Between Economic Necessity and Social Distance: Integrating Third-Country Nationals in Bulgaria

Abstract

The integration of third-country nationals has become one of the key social and economic issues in contemporary Europe. In the context of demographic decline, an ageing population, and structural labour shortages, Bulgaria – until recently predominantly a country of emigration – has gradually transformed into a host destination for migrants. This transformation generates a number of challenges related not only to the labour market, but also to public attitudes, institutional mechanisms, and the cultural boundaries of acceptance.
The question of integration thus appears dual in nature: on the one hand, it is driven by the economic necessity to compensate for labour deficits; on the other hand, it is constrained by social distance and collective stereotypes toward the “other.” The present article examines precisely this tension between the pragmatic needs of the economy and the socio-cultural barriers to the integration of third-country nationals in Bulgaria. The analysis is based on empirical data from a survey conducted by the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, carried out in 2025 among employers from various economic sectors. In addition, an analysis of in-depth interviews with employers was conducted in order to trace both the actual needs of businesses and the attitudes that shape the social climate of acceptance. Theoretically, the text draws upon the concepts of postmodern society and mobility developed by Bauman (2000, 2007), Beck (2002), and Giddens (1991), as well as on the global migration models proposed by Castles, de Haas, and Miller (2014). It also incorporates Bourdieu’s (1998) perspective on social inequalities and capitals, allowing integration to be understood not as a one-directional process of inclusion, but as a dynamic and mutual adaptation between locals and newcomers. The results reveal an ambivalent picture: employers simultaneously acknowledge the economic necessity of hiring migrants and display a degree of reservation rooted in cultural differences, lack of trust, and administrative obstacles. Economic rationality and social distance appear deeply intertwined – the labour market functions as a space of pragmatic inclusion but not of full social acceptance. Thus, the integration of third-country nationals in Bulgaria emerges as a process of negotiation between need and fear, between openness and the boundaries of social imagination.