Category: Author’s post

A foreign national can carry out professional activities without residence and work permits in certain cases

Nevertheless, this will be possible only for a specific project without long-term establishment in the local labor market.
Members of the ruling party are adding a special article to the Law on “Labor Migration” in this regard.
As the draft law says, a foreigner will be allowed to engage in short-term professional activity in Georgia without a work permit or a corresponding residence permit. For this, he must carry out an activity within the framework of a temporary visit, without long-term employment in the local labor market. It must be connected to a specific short-term project, event, or service.
A government decree will determine the list of such short-term professional activities, their duration, and the criteria for classifying them as short-term.
They will not consider as a labor immigrant a foreigner carrying out short-term professional activities or a self-employed foreigner in Georgia.
The list of activities exempt from the requirements of having a residence or a work permit will include individuals holding a valid special residence permit issued based on a written initiative of a member of the Government of Georgia. Also, employees of public institutions or enterprises with state participation will be included in the list. Moreover, remote workers from another country for a local employer will also be exempt from these requirements, as well as workers providing services to a non-resident entity related to activities carried out outside Georgia. The Law on “Accounting, Reporting and Auditing” will define managerial roles or participation in audit committees in first, second, and third category enterprises.
So, new reality needs to reduce bureaucratic pressure and to create a mechanism that allows for the legal recognition of short-term professional visits without requiring a residence permit. The current legal framework on labor migration cannot do this.
Due to this reason, the Government of Georgia decided to define detailed criteria. New legal acts will ensure greater flexibility and efficiency. They will allow timely adjustments to types of activities and durations in line with the country’s needs and optimize labor migration management.
According to the initiating members of Parliament, this will provide a differentiated approach based on the duration and nature of employment and remove unnecessary administrative barriers.
Undoubtedly, administrative barriers do not correspond with the dynamic nature of the labor market. So, they decided to exempt certain specific activities from the requirements of the law on “Labor Migration.”

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The demand for jobs with included housing fell by 26% in Ukraine, despite a 20% increase of the salaries for such offers over the year.

A job portal in Ukraine reports that the average salary in employment vacancies that offer housing in February 2026 was ₴30,000 ($694 at the average monthly rate in February). In 2025 it was ₴25,000 ($649 at the February 2025 rate). Meanwhile, the number of these vacancies decreased by 6% – from 9,044 in 2025 to 8,464 this year. A 26% downfall over the year was also demonstrated by the demand for jobs with housing.
The manufacturing sector offered the largest number of vacancies (1,569) with a median salary of ₴32,500 ($754). It is 18% higher than last year. Security guards, drivers, handyworkers, loaders, nannies, builders, salespeople, and auto mechanics are among other popular professions.
The labor market with 3,346 vacancies and a median salary of ₴31,500 ($731) makes the Kyiv region the leader. This market showed a 15% increase year-over-year. Mykolaiv (91 vacancies), Donetsk (26), and Kherson (20) have the fewest job offers with housing. Nevertheless, even these regions have demonstrated an increase in salaries on average by 18% to 43% annually.

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Visa-free travel regime will appear between Kazakhstan and North Macedonia

Kazakhstan and North Macedonia are going to deepen bilateral ties. To do that, the countries are going to introduce a visa-free regime.
As the Caspian Post reports, Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Issetov and Zoran Dimitrovski, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of North Macedonia, discussed the issue during the third round of political consultations.
The participants exchanged views on regional and global developments. They also noted the steady progress in bilateral relations.
Moreover, the outcomes of recent high-level visits, including those by President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova and Foreign Minister Timčo Mucunski to Astana in 2025, were highlighted by diplomats.
Expanding cooperation across key sectors such as agriculture, energy, transport, tourism, education, and culture were in the focus of the talks. Other important topics were boosting trade, diversifying its structure and the possibility of easing travel rules for citizens of both countries.
Also, North Macedonia’s Foreign Ministry expressed confidence that adopting a new Constitution in the March 15 referendum will support the Kazakhstan’s development.
As diplomatic relations between the countries have the history of more than 30 years, both sides expressed the intention to cooperate and to advance joint projects.
Due to this reason, the diplomats welcomed organizing this April trade and economic mission of Kazakhstan in Skopje. They are also planning to establish a Business Council between the Сhambers of commerce and industry within the framework of this event.

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PKS offers new support programme for start-ups

As of today, start-ups can get help from a new Support Programme. The target audience are newly established entrepreneurs, micro and small enterprises operating for no longer than 36 months, or 48 months if the majority owner is a woman, as well as individuals planning to start their own business.
The Serbian Foundation for Entrepreneurship and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (PKS) announced this at the signing of an agreement. The Support Programme for start-ups is aimed at creating a stimulating environment for the development of entrepreneurship, encouraging sustainable business ideas and generating new jobs in Serbia.
It provides comprehensive support to all those starting or developing a business through a combination of financial and non-financial measures.
According to the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, Marko Čadež, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurs make up 99.8 per cent of Serbia’s economy. They employ almost two-thirds of those working in the non-financial sector and contribute 56.9 per cent to GDP. Despite this good indicator, there is still room for growth and a need for stronger support.
He also emphasized that the new Support Programme for start-ups is focused on encouraging entrepreneurship, self-employment and the creation of new jobs. Meanwhile, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia will be an implementation partner and provide expert support in preparing business and investment plans and in implementing incentive loans.
According to the Director of the Serbian Foundation for Entrepreneurship, Aleksandar Grabovac, support for start-ups is one of the foundation’s key priorities.
He said that they plan to help around 800 beneficiaries undergo training and develop the skills needed for successfully starting and running their own business through this programme. They plan to do it in cooperation with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia by the end of 2026. It will further strengthen institutional support and create more favourable conditions for the development of entrepreneurship in Serbia.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia will provide advisory support and free training within the Programme. In addition, partner banks will provide beneficiaries with loans of up to 30,000 euros. Also, users who repay the loan regularly and continue their business operations will get grants of up to 20 per cent of the loan amount, or a maximum of 3,000 euros.
The aim of the activities of the Government of Serbia is the improvement of the entrepreneurial environment. International partners, the Government of Germany and the German development bank KfW work in cooperation within this programme.
Halkbank, ProCredit Bank, 3Bank, Erste Bank, NLB Komercijalna Banka and OTP Banka participate in the implementation of the Programme.

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Gap Between Real Scale of Shadow Employment and Official Data is Acknowledged by Kazakhstan Authorities

Finally, a significant discrepancy between official estimates of informal employment and administrative data has become evident for Kazakhstan’s authorities. They saw the scale of the country’s shadow labor market. According to Minister of Labor and Social Protection Askarbek Yertaev, the actual number of people working outside the formal economy could be almost three times higher […]

Human Capital Chartbook establishes reforms of the labor market, social benefits system, with human capital trends and education funding key priorities in Ukraine for 2026

According to the data, there were 10.2 million pensioners, 1.7 million veterans (2.4 times more than in 2021), 3.6 million people with disabilities, and 4.6 million internally displaced persons with 10.7 million workers in Ukraine in 2025. This significantly increases the demand for financial support from the state in recent years. However, the number of […]

Jobless rate in Serbia rises to 8.9% in Q4

As the statistical office said on Friday, Serbia’s unemployment rate rose by 0.7 percentage points (pp) quarter-on-quarter to 8.9% in the last three months of 2025.
According to a statement of the statistical office, the increase of the jobless rate in the review period is 0.3 pp, compared with the fourth quarter of 2024.
Previously, the employment rate reached 50.5% in October-December, down by 0.8 pp quarter-on-quarter and lower by 0.9 pp on the year.
Also, the statistical office reported that there were 2,828,200 employed and 276,900 unemployed people in the country in the fourth quarter of 2025.
In total, Serbia’s active population aged 15 and over in the period under review, stood at 3.1 million, while total population of the country was 5.6 million.

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Skilled Migrants will become the focus of Kazakhstan’s new migration policy

A more pragmatic migration policy aligned with the needs of the national economy is Kazakhstan’s choice nowadays. As a result, attracting in-demand highly skilled professionals and encouraging internal migration to regions experiencing labor shortages are priorities of Migration Policy Concept through 2030, newly approved by the government.
The Ministry of Labor and Social Protection reports that the number of foreign labor migrants in Kazakhstan reached 16,100 in 2025.
According to Minister of Labor Askarbek Yertayev, assessment of the professional qualifications of foreign workers will have a greater importance. So, specialists with relevant education, work experience, and competencies will have priority in the domestic labor market. They expect the share of skilled workers among labor migrants to increase to 95% by 2030.
Notably, a pilot project on the digital platform migration Enbek.kz has been launched by the ministry to support these objectives. They will introduce a comprehensive scoring system to evaluate applicants when issuing permanent residence permits and granting kandas status, a designation for ethnic Kazakhs returning to their historical homeland.
Also, revising fees for hiring foreign labor, tightening regulation of private employment agencies, and formally integrating the digital scoring mechanism into migration decision-making processes are included in a draft law.
Official data reports that the government has set a quota for attracting foreign workers at 0.25% of the total national workforce in 2026.
However, China, Uzbekistan, Turkey, and India remain the main countries of origin for officially employed foreign nationals.
Simultaneously, measures to manage internal migration are being strengthening. This made 14.7% of participants in state-supported interregional resettlement programs relocate to northern regions of the country in 2025.
Another negative effect is exacerbation of territorial imbalances, because young people from less economically developed regions prefer to relocate to major cities such as Almaty and Astana.

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Small business and digital transformation get a support from EBRD in Serbia

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) offers a new financing package of up to €50 million for ProCredit Bank Serbia to strengthen the competitiveness and resilience of Serbia’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The package includes €40 million to support Serbian SMEs and €10 million to drive digital transformation and automation of local businesses.
It also promotes innovation, competitiveness and gender inclusion in Serbia’s SME sector.
The Financial Intermediaries Framework provides the first loan with at least 30 per cent of the funds dedicated to green investments. The Go Digital in the Western Balkans program gives the second loan.
As a result, SMEs in Serbia will grow easier with the help of the new funding. The advantage is that these businesses will create most of the country’s jobs and economic value. Nevertheless, they will often struggle to access long-term financing. Also, the adoption of EU standards, energy efficiency will be promoted by the finance package. Moreover, gender inclusion will cause capacity building for women-led businesses.
According to Aleksandra Vukosavljević, EBRD Director for Financial Institutions in the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe, it is vital for the country’s sustainable economic development to support the growth and digital transformation of Serbia’s SMEs. She says that they help businesses get access to the long-term funding and expertise they need to innovate, become more competitive and accelerate their green transition with this new financing. Other goals are empowerment of women entrepreneurs and promotion of inclusive growth. Strong track record and commitment to responsible banking make ProCredit Bank Serbia’s an ideal partner for delivering real impact on the ground.
As Igor Anić, President of the Executive Board of ProCredit Bank, says, this new financing package from the EBRD further strengthens their long-term commitment to supporting SME growth in Serbia. It will expand access to financing for businesses across the country, with at least 30 per cent dedicated to green investments. Simultaneously, the additional €10 million from the Go Digital program will help accelerate the digital transformation and automation of local companies. Also, the cooperation with the EBRD will deepen. Moreover, SME development will become more sustainable and competitive due to jointly promote innovation.
The EBRD and ProCredit Bank Serbia are long-standing partners and leading SME lenders in the country. They serve over 6,000 clients with a strong focus on green finance and digital innovation.
Also, the EBRD is a leading institutional investor in Serbia. It has invested more than €10 billion through more than 400 projects. Most of these projects have supported the private sector. Enhancing private-sector competitiveness, productivity and access to finance are the Bank’s priorities in Serbia.

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Allianz Trade reports Serbia’s economy growth by 3.5-4% in 2026-2027

A global trade credit insurer Allianz Trade expects Serbia’s economic growth to quicken to 3.5-4% in 2026 and 2027, compared to an estimated 2.1% increase in 2025.
As Allianz Trade said in its annual research Country Risk Atlas 2026 published on Monday, wage growth and easing inflation should help private consumption remain resilient. Nevertheless, tighter labor market conditions and slowing productivity gains may cap momentum. Public investment is still acting as a short-term growth anchor, yet its net domestic spillovers import-intensive nature is reduced.
Also, strategic infrastructure and energy projects ahead of the EXPO 2027 support Serbia’s medium-term growth potential. This international exhibition to be held in Belgrade has also links with the country’s diversification efforts.
Allianz Trade expects inflation to remain within target and to allow for cautious monetary easing, despite the renewed food or energy price shocks that could reintroduce volatility. They also add that external demand remains a mild drag, given weak performance of Serbia’s key European partners.
A six-month cap on retail margins on staples and basic goods at 20% was imposed the Serbian government in September aiming to ease inflation pressures. It resulted in slowing annual consumer price inflation gradually to 2.7% in December from August’s 4.7%. The central bank expects annual inflation to remain within the 1.5-4.5% target range in the short term.
As Allianz Trade noted, Serbia’s cyclical risks are manageable. Nevertheless, they could tilt to the downside if global financial conditions tighten or domestic confidence weakens ahead of key political milestones. Meanwhile, improved market credibility, declining public debt and continued access to domestic and international funding can benefit the financing profile of the country. Also, investor appetite for dinar- and euro-denominated debt supports this tendency.
Despite a good capitalization of the banking sector, tightening credit terms annoy smaller firms and households. Also, sustained FDI inflows to offset import-heavy investment cause the current account deficit.
Politically speaking, balancing between hopes for EU accession and close ties with Russia and China define Serbia’s foreign policy. This position “adds strategic ambiguity, exposing the country to shifting external pressures”. Additionally, episodic security and diplomatic risks arise from unresolved tensions with Kosovo.
Meanwhile, prolonged protest against incumbent politicians with increasing medium-term succession and institutional risks dominate domestic politics. According to Allianz Trade, it creates public opposition to mining and energy projects, especially lithium. This protest might intensify social unrest and delay strategic investments.

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