Risks for Bulgarian Migrants in the Netherlands

During the spring-summer season, many people leave Bulgaria for Western EU countries, and at this time, Dignita focuses its efforts on vulnerable individuals seeking various forms of temporary employment. Among them are representatives of Roma and Turkish ethnic minorities, who often struggle to find legal work and are at risk of labor exploitation and human trafficking.

The Netherlands is one of the leading destinations for Bulgarian economic migrants. According to the Netherlands Statistics Institute, approximately 35,000 Bulgarians are officially registered in the country. The main cities where migrants settle include Rotterdam and The Hague, as well as smaller towns like Zaanstad.

Despite the high standard of living in the Netherlands, Bulgarian workers often fall victim to exploitation by unscrupulous employers and intermediaries. The main problems include wage theft, illegally long working hours, lack of workplace protection, and insufficient knowledge of their rights. Limited opportunities to file complaints further hinder their ability to seek protection. In some cases, these violations escalate into labor exploitation, and in extreme situations—even human trafficking, particularly in sectors such as agriculture, construction, and logistics.

In 2025, Dignita will launch an initiative to raise awareness among vulnerable Bulgarian migrants, especially those from segregated Roma and Turkish ethnic minorities. The goal is to inform them about the risks associated with labor migration, as well as ways to find safe and legal employment.

The initiative will begin with field research to assess the specific vulnerabilities and needs of potential migrants. In April 2025, the Dignita team will conduct a risk assessment among labor migrants in the Kardzhali municipality as part of a broader study that started in Shumen. These analyses will help develop informational materials and organize pilot informational sessions for potential migrants. Experts in labor migration and workers’ rights will participate in these sessions, providing guidance on identifying risks and available protection mechanisms.

These activities are part of the project “Breaking the Chain: Protecting Migrants from Labour Trafficking,” implemented in partnership with the National Network of Health Mediators and supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Since 2020, Dignita has been actively working to protect vulnerable communities by applying a systematic approach to preventing human trafficking. Our activities are based on research into specific risks and vulnerabilities, followed by the development of tailored informational materials on workers’ rights and ways to avoid exploitation.

A key element of our strategy is group sessions that raise awareness among participants, as well as individual consultations that provide personalized support for safe migration. By continuously updating our materials based on real threats and empirical data, we can respond effectively to current challenges and offer strong protection for affected groups.