The Blues midfielder was handed an indefinite ban by the Scottish FA for his behaviour ahead of Scotland's World Cup qualifier against Iceland last April but Levein is keen for Ferguson to return to the the international scene.
"I've spoken to Barry, I spent two hours with him last week and I've spoken to him on the phone," Levein said.
"I would consider both conversations were very positive. The difficulty is the timing.
"You have to appreciate that at the start of the season Barry signed a contract with Birmingham and had nothing else on the horizon. So he has made commitments to his club.
"Also, his wife and kids are staying up in Scotland, so he has made commitments on that front.
"We plan to speak further. I have got a good feeling about the discussions we've had.
"Barry has indicated that he's excited about the opportunity to get to 50 caps and qualify for a major tournament.
"But there are other issues. With his situation, where he has already made commitments, I don't think there will be anything until the end of this season.
"Once we get this season out the road, there's a decent chance that we can resolve something for next season."
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