Serbia eases access to labor market for foreign nationals

Throughout the current year, Serbia has issued a total of 13,464 work permits to foreigners. Among them, 321 individuals obtained personal work permits, with 12 of these permits (primarily in Belgrade – nine) granted to asylum seekers. Additionally, 16 work permits were provided to foreigners classified under special categories since the beginning of the year.
According to Svetlana Milović, a workforce analyst at the National Employment Service (NES), asylum seekers hail from diverse countries, including Iran, Pakistan, Cuba, Burundi, Cameroon, Syria, Algeria, India, and Russia. Furthermore, NES issued 83 work permits to Ukrainians.
The recent amendments to the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Employment of Foreigners, effective February 1, have streamlined access to the labor market for all foreign nationals in Serbia, including refugees and asylum seekers. Notably, refugees and asylum seekers no longer require a work permit, mirroring the practice in European Union countries. Asylum seekers gain access to the labor market six months after filing for asylum.

Starting February 1, individuals granted asylum in Serbia no longer need a work permit and are exempt from high fees and complex administrative procedures. This demographic now enjoys unrestricted access to the labor market, akin to access in EU countries. While the amendments aim to enhance foreign workforce integration, measures have been implemented to safeguard the domestic labor market, prioritizing Serbian citizens for employment opportunities when the need arises.
Employers are now required to conduct a labor market test before hiring a foreigner, and quotas have been introduced for certain industries. Notably, the category of personal work permits will cease to exist in the system as of the upcoming fall, as announced by Sanja Gavranović from the Ministry of Labor and Employment.

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