Serbia is going to simplify the immigration process for foreign workers

What has happened? The Serbian Ministry of Interior (Ministarstvo Unutrašnjih Poslova) has prepared amendments to the immigration law, which should create improvements in the immigration process in Serbia and make the country a more attractive destination for foreign workers.

If the Serbian Parliament votes for these changes, the law will be passed and come into force in the first quarter of 2024.

The most notable changes:

• Visa D or residence permit plus work permit will be combined into a single permit. Jobseekers will receive one application instead of two in order to enter the country for employment. And employers will be able to apply online, another benefit from the current process which requires personal appearances by the foreign employee.
• Temporary Residence Permits will be granted for the period of validity of the foreign national’s visa instead of 90 days, as is currently the case and will be valid for three years, (up from the current one year) with renewals for another three years.
• Foreign citizens applying for a temporary residence permit based on employment in Serbia will no longer need to prove their means of subsistence or provide proof of health insurance.
• Foreign nationals who obtain a Single Permit for studying, volunteering, family reunification or any other purpose will be allowed to work (whereas currently, they cannot work under this status).
• Foreign citizens will be eligible for permanent resident status after three years of continuous residence in Serbia (compared to the current five-year requirement).
• Foreign nationals eligible for a D visa will be able to work under their D visa for up to 180 days and will no longer need to apply for a work permit in Serbia before starting work.
• Temporary residence permits and single permits will be issued in the form of a biometric document, which will replace the temporary residence sticker in the passport.

Background. The government’s intention with these changes is to improve and simplify the immigration system to attract foreign nationals and foreign workers to improve the economy.

Source: Fragomen

Photo by Kalman Nemet on Unsplash

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