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PHP Developer Hiring Trends in Bulgaria

This report was last updated on Sep 6, 2025

Bence Gedai / Founder

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 job market in Bulgaria has seen robust demand, particularly for Software PHP Engineers, amid fluctuating job openings and closures in recent months.
  • A total of 28 new positions were reported in week 27; however, this is accompanied by significant closures, resulting in a competitive landscape that necessitates effective recruitment strategies for CTOs.
  • Sofia emerges as the leading city for Software PHP Engineer opportunities, representing 88% of total job postings, followed by Plovdiv and Varna with 6% and 3%, respectively.
  • The talent pool for Software PHP Engineers in Bulgaria comprises a significant number of entry-level roles, accounting for 48% of the market, with mid-senior positions closely trailing at 43%. This underscores a need for tailored recruitment strategies targeting different experience levels.
  • With a median time to hire for Software Engineers in Bulgaria set at 34 days, hiring managers should remain aware of the competitive nature of the market and the importance of quick and effective recruitment tactics to secure top talent.
Number of roles opened and closed for PHP Engineers in Bulgaria in the last 3 months

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

In the last 12 weeks, the Software PHP Engineer job market in Bulgaria has shown fluctuating trends in job openings, peaking at 28 new positions in week 27. In comparison to other roles within the country, the demand for Software PHP Developers appears robust, although the job closure rate remains significant, with 46 positions closed in week 25 alone. This results in a net decline during certain weeks, suggesting a competitive landscape for hiring managers. Notably, while the number of job openings reflects a healthy market, the turnover indicates that recruitment strategies for CTOs must adapt to capture available talent effectively, akin to hiring trends seen across Europe’s technology landscape.

Who else is hiring for software Engineers in Bulgaria:

Company name Country Industry Founded # Job openings
Canonical logo Canonical United Kingdom Information Technology & Services 2004 116
wherewework Bulgaria logo wherewework Bulgaria null Human Resources null 78
Job- og Erhvervsservice | Jobcenter Gentofte logo Job- og Erhvervsservice | Jobcenter Gentofte null null null 43
Happy Bar & Grill logo Happy Bar & Grill Bulgaria Restaurants 1994 39
Exadel logo Exadel United States Information Technology & Services 1998 34
BairesDev logo BairesDev United States Information Technology & Services 2009 30
Rabota.bg logo Rabota.bg Bulgaria Media Production null 30
Sofia Stars logo Sofia Stars Bulgaria Management Consulting null 30
EPAM Systems logo EPAM Systems United States Information Technology & Services 1993 26
Experian logo Experian United States Information Services 1980 23

Here are a few specialized software agencies you can trust:

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Talent pool vs job openings for Software Engineers in Bulgaria

How competitive it is to hire Software Engineers in Bulgaria

In the competitive landscape of Europe, the Software PHP Engineers job market trends reveal varying degrees of hiring difficulty across different countries. For instance, Bulgaria presents a notable challenge with its ratio of available talent to job openings, indicating a tightening market for Software PHP Developers. In contrast, countries like Poland and Romania show a more favorable balance, making recruitment slightly easier in these regions. Similarly, the talent pool in Hungary remains robust, yet job openings still outpace it, suggesting potential hurdles for hiring managers. This data underscores the need for strategic recruitment tactics by CTOs in Bulgaria's tech sector to secure top talent amidst rising demand for Software PHP Developer opportunities.

Seniority distribution of PHP Engineer job openings in Bulgaria

Seniority Distribution of PHP Engineering Jobs in Bulgaria

The seniority distribution of Software PHP Engineering jobs in Bulgaria indicates a diverse landscape, with Entry level positions comprising 48% of the total job market. Mid-Senior level roles follow closely, representing 43% of available positions. Meanwhile, Associate roles account for 5%, reflecting a concentrated demand for talent at both the start and mid- career stages.

Chart about preferred employment type for Engineering roles in Bulgaria

Preferred employment type for Engineering roles in Bulgaria

In Bulgaria's software development job market, the predominant employment type for engineering roles is Full-time, comprising 96% of the total positions available. Contract roles account for 2%, while Part-time positions make up 1%. This distribution underscores the strong preference for stable employment in the software PHP job market in Bulgaria, which is essential for hiring managers and recruiters navigating recruitment strategies in this competitive landscape.

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 exhibits significant variation, with a predominant hiring window between 25 to 30 days, as indicated by 501 and 779 placements respectively. A noteworthy 490 candidates were hired within a 10-day span, suggesting a responsive market for Software PHP job opportunities. Hiring managers should take into account that the process can stretch up to 100 days for specific roles, emphasizing the need for effective recruitment strategies. The data reveals a concentrated distribution, highlighting the importance of understanding hiring trends to align recruitment practices with current Software PHP Engineer demand in Bulgaria.

Most popular cities in Bulgaria to hire Software Engineers

Top 5 cities in Bulgaria to hire Software Engineers

In Bulgaria, the distribution of Software PHP Engineer job openings is notably concentrated in the capital city of Sofia, which accounts for 88% of the total job postings. Following Sofia, the city of Plovdiv represents 6% of opportunities, while Varna stands at 3%. This data highlights the significant urban concentration of employment prospects in Sofia, making it a critical location for tech recruitment efforts.

Most sought after technologies in Bulgaria for PHP

Key technologies for PHP Engineers

In the current landscape of the Software PHP job market in Bulgaria, PHP itself remains a cornerstone with a frequency of 6,396, underscoring its pivotal role in web development. Complementing PHP, MySQL and SQL are also highly prevalent, with frequencies of 1,874 and 1,850, respectively, highlighting the importance of database management skills for Software PHP Engineers. Front-end technologies like JavaScript, with a frequency of 3,423, and HTML (1,508) are essential for creating dynamic web applications. Additionally, frameworks such as Laravel (1,344) and Symfony (1,122) are critical, facilitating rapid development and efficient coding practices. This data corroborates the emerging trends showcased in the accompanying chart and provides valuable insights for hiring managers considering Software PHP Developer opportunities in Bulgaria.

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