1,844 emigrants return to Bulgaria under the “I Choose Bulgaria” initiative

A total of 1,844 Bulgarian emigrants have returned to the country since the launch of the “I Choose Bulgaria” initiative. Most of them are highly qualified professionals, including teachers, doctors and IT specialists. Attracting them back to Bulgaria has cost the state less than half a million euros, BTA reported.

The initiative has also benefited software specialists, accountants, bank employees, and engineers, as well as many people employed in construction and industry.

A total of 4,142 people applied for the program, and 1,884 candidates were approved — twice as many as initially forecast. More than 1,500 of the approved applicants are aged between 30 and 40.

The largest number of returning emigrants came from the United Kingdom and Germany, followed by the Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Austria and Ireland. Bulgarians have also returned from the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, China, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa.

The program will continue until 2028, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy announced.

Edited by Ivo Ivanov

Translated by Kostadin Atanasov