Novelties in Employing Foreigners

21.08.2023.

On July 26, 2023, the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia adopted amendments to the Law on Foreigners and the Law on the Employment of Foreigners, thereby introducing numerous changes. The laws entered into force on August 4, 2023, but their implementation was postponed to February 1, 2024, in order to create technical conditions for their implementation, as well as the adoption of relevant by-laws necessary for their smooth implementation.

The adopted amendments enable foreign citizens to exercise the right to temporary residence and work in the Republic of Serbia in a single procedure before one state body – the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Namely, the amendments to the regulations introduce a single permit for temporary residence and work, as a single act.

The procedure for issuing a single permit is completely digitalized – so the request for issuing a single permit can only be submitted electronically.

The introduction of a unique web portal, which will contain all information related to the entry, stay and work of foreigners in the Republic of Serbia, and through which all relevant requests will be submitted electronically, is also new.

Furthermore, foreigners will be issued a biometric document or card that will represent a unique permit. A foreigner who has been approved for permanent residence will be issued an identity card for a foreigner (instead of the stamp on approved permanent residence that was printed in the travel document).

It is stipulated that a single permit is issued within 15 days from the date of receipt of a proper request, and a single permit can be issued for a period of validity of up to three years (instead of one year) and can be extended for the same period.

These amendments to the aforementioned laws will facilitate the work of public authorities, the monitoring of the movement of foreigners, as well as the submission of documents by foreigners or their representatives.