A total of 2,987 work permits were issued to foreign citizens for work in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2021, is stated to Fena news agency from the BiH Labor and Employment Agency.
Out of that, 1,740 permits were issued in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1,095 in the Republika Srpska, and 152 in the Brcko District of BiH.
Out of the total number of issued work permits, 212 were revoked, 19 in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 178 in the Republika Srpska and 15 in the Brčko District of BiH.
The total number of valid work permits issued in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2021 was 2,775, 955 work permits counted in the quota and 1,820 work permits issued independently of the established quota.
Of the total valid work permits issued, 408 were issued to women and 2,367 to men.
In the Federation of BiH, a total of 1,721 valid work permits were issued, of which 615 were counted in the quota and 1,106 were issued independently of the established quota, in the Republika Srpska a total of 917 valid work permits were issued, 318 counted in the quota and 599 issued independently of the quota. quotas, and in the Brčko District of BiH a total of 137 valid work permits were issued, 22 of which are counted in the quota and 115 issued independently of the established quota.
Most foreign workers were from Serbia – 622, then from Turkey 334, Croatia – 193 and from the People’s Republic of China – 124.
Observed by activities, the employment of foreign workers is led by wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles; then construction; other service activities, and manufacturing.
Regarding the procedure for issuing work permits to foreign nationals, employers contact the cantonal services in FBiH, the competent branches of the RS Employment Bureau in the Republika Srpska entity, and the Brcko District Employment Bureau in BiH for the District.
The BiH Labor and Employment Agency does not have estimates of the total number of BiH citizens who work abroad, and one of the reasons is that our citizens have no obligation to record that departure.
Another reason is dual citizenship, where our citizens often go abroad on the basis of the citizenship of one of the neighboring countries, which makes it impossible to accurately monitor the issuance of work permits.
