PHP Developer Hiring Trends in Sofia, Bulgaria

This report was last updated on Aug 9, 2025

Bence Gedai

Founder

I analyze live hiring data and tech job trends across Europe to give CTOs and Product Leaders a strategic edge. By tracking tens of thousands of open roles each week, I uncover which skills, roles, and locations are in highest demand — potential competitors, typical time to hire, talent pool sizes, and more to help you prioritize hiring, benchmark and stay competitive in a fast-moving market.

Key learnings from this report

The Software PHP Engineer job market in Bulgaria Sofia has shown fluctuations in openings and closures, indicating a potential oversupply, with recent job closures increasing notably.
Sofia dominates the Software PHP job market, accounting for 87% of total job openings, making it a strategic focal point for hiring managers and recruiters.
Mid-senior level positions constitute 47% of PHP engineering job opportunities, highlighting a demand for experienced professionals amidst a healthy influx of entry-level talent (29%).
The preference for full-time roles is evident, comprising 96% of the job openings, suggesting stability in employment for Software PHP Engineers in Bulgaria.
The median time to hire Software Engineers in Bulgaria stands at 33 days, with most hires completed in shorter timeframes, emphasizing the necessity of streamlined recruitment processes.

Number of roles opened and closed for PHP Engineers in Sofia in the last 3 months

Over the past 12 weeks, the Software PHP Engineer job market in Bulgaria Sofia has shown a fluctuating trend. In weeks 20 and 21, there was a robust opening of 51 positions each, which sharply declined to just 4 in week 23. In contrast, the number of job closures has increased considerably, especially in the recent weeks, with a notable 32 positions closed in week 27. This indicates a potential oversupply in the job market, as hiring managers face a challenging landscape of continued job openings yet rising job closures in Bulgaria Sofia compared to other European cities, where trends typically reflect a more stable demand for PHP specialists.

Who else is hiring for software Engineers in Bulgaria:

Company name	Country	Industry	Founded	# Job openings
Canonical	United Kingdom	Information Technology & Services	2004	66
Job- og Erhvervsservice \| Jobcenter Gentofte	null	null	null	47
Happy Bar & Grill	Bulgaria	Restaurants	1994	41
Rabota.bg	Bulgaria	Media Production	null	40
DXC Technology	United States	Information Technology & Services	2017	26
Acronis	Switzerland	Information Technology & Services	2003	25
wherewework Bulgaria	null	Human Resources	null	25
Exadel	United States	Information Technology & Services	1998	23
Mindrift	United States	Information Technology & Services	null	23
Trading 212	United Kingdom	Financial Services	2003	20

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Talent pool vs job openings for Software Engineers in Bulgaria

How competitive it is to hire Software Engineers in Bulgaria

The software development job market in Europe is highly competitive, with a varying ratio of job openings to available talent across different countries. In Bulgaria, there are currently numerous job openings for Software PHP Engineers amidst a sizable talent pool, suggesting a moderate level of hiring ease. Comparatively, countries like Germany and the Netherlands face a tighter market, with lower talent availability relative to job demand, indicating a more challenging hiring landscape for tech leads and CTOs. Meanwhile, Poland offers a more balanced ratio, suggesting moderate opportunities for recruitment. Given these dynamics, hiring managers in Bulgaria, particularly in Sofia, are likely to find it relatively manageable to fill Software PHP Developer roles, though strategic recruitment efforts may still be essential to secure top talent.

Seniority distribution of PHP Engineer job openings in Sofia

Seniority Distribution of PHP Engineering Jobs in Sofia

In Bulgaria's Sofia, the seniority distribution for Software PHP Engineering jobs reveals significant trends. Mid-Senior level positions account for 47% of the roles, highlighting the prominence of experienced professionals in the market. Entry level roles represent 29%, indicating a healthy influx of new talent. Associate positions comprise 6%, suggesting a niche demand for this specific experience level.

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in Bulgaria

In Bulgaria's software development sector, the employment type distribution reveals a strong preference for full-time positions, accounting for 96% of openings with 13,533 roles available. This is followed by contract roles, which make up 4% of the market, represented by 534 positions. Part-time opportunities constitute a minor share at approximately 3%, with 357 available roles. These insights underscore the trend towards stable employment for Software PHP Engineers in Sofia and highlight considerations for CTOs and hiring managers aiming to attract talent.

Time to Hire Distribution for Software in Bulgaria

How long does it take to hire Software Engineers

The time to hire for Software PHP Engineers in Bulgaria reflects significant variability, with notable peaks at the 30-day mark, where 638 positions were filled. The data reveals a pronounced trend where the majority of hires occur within a shorter timeframe, as indicated by 396 roles appointed within 10 days and 272 within 15 days. Conversely, there are fewer successful hires as the time frame extends beyond 70 days, suggesting potential challenges in attracting candidates or decision-making delays. For hiring managers and CTOs in the Bulgarian tech sector, these insights underline the importance of efficient recruitment strategies to align with prevailing hiring trends and maintain a competitive advantage in the software job market.

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Most popular cities in Bulgaria to hire Software Engineers

Top 5 cities in Bulgaria to hire Software Engineers

In the Software PHP Engineers job market trends in Bulgaria, Sofia stands out as the primary hub, accounting for 87% of the total job openings. The capital is followed by Plovdiv, which holds 6%, and Varna at 3%. This data, as showcased in the accompanying chart, underscores Sofia's dominance in the Software PHP job market in Bulgaria, making it a critical focus for hiring managers and recruiters.

Most sought after technologies in Sofia for PHP

Key technologies for PHP Engineers

In the dynamic Software PHP Engineer job market in Bulgaria and Sofia, several technologies are greatly influencing hiring trends. PHP remains the cornerstone with a notable frequency of 5,384, reflecting its dominance in this role. Furthermore, MySQL, a critical database technology, follows closely with 1,571 mentions, signifying its importance in PHP applications. JavaScript, with 2,846 occurrences, emphasizes the trend towards full-stack development capabilities. Additionally, Laravel, with 1,110 references, indicates a preference for modern PHP frameworks among employers. These technologies are central to understanding the landscape of Software PHP job opportunities in Bulgaria and Sofia, as illustrated in the accompanying chart.

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