”The numbers of issued work permits for foreigners in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) have been similar for years, so we cannot say that there is a shortage of labor somewhere, especially bearing in mind that one of the most popularoccupations on the register of unemployed persons is a trader, ” it was said from the Labor and Employment Agency (ARZ) of BiH.
They explain that traditionally the largest number of work permits is issued for the activity of trade, and that this year is an exception with an increase in the number of work permits for construction due to the initiation of certain infrastructure projects on the VC corridor, as well as other projects.
”If we look at the number of issued work permits in BiH, we see that this number is not large and ranges from 0.3 to 0.4 percent of the total number of employees in BiH, and it is mainly about work permits issued to persons who play a key role in business. of a company, whether it is business owners or people from the administration,” it was reported from ARZ.
Legally regulated employment of foreigners
They also add that for years the largest number of work permits have been issued to citizens of Serbia, followed by Turkey, Croatia, and China.
The Agency notes that the employment of foreigners in BiH is legally regulated, with elaborate activities in the field of legislation, connection of institutions and control mechanisms.
They point out that the legal framework for the employment of foreigners is liberal, constantly innovating, harmonized with the legislation of the European Union (EU) countries and developed countries, and offers numerous reliefs for the purpose of attracting direct foreign investments, the possibility of seasonal employment, highly qualified employment, issuing work permits to founders and key persons in companies without any restrictions, exemptions from issuing work permits outside the quota and exemptions from holding work permits.
”In the Federation of BiH (FBiH), work permits are issued by the cantonal employment services according to the employer’s headquarter, with the approval of the Federal Employment Office. In the Republika Srpska (RS), the work permit is issued by the competent branch of the Employment Office of the RSaccording to the employer’s headquarter, while in the Brcko District of BiH, the Employment Office of the Brcko District of BiH is the competent authority for issuing work permits for foreigners to work in the district,” it was specified.
Last year, 2.775 work permits were issued
Besides other conditions for issuing work permits, the ARZ claims that the key thing is that there is no unemployed person on the unemployment register according to the employer’s headquarters who meets the conditions in accordance with the request for issuing a work permit and that he enters the established quota of work permits on an annual level.
”The key thing that the associations of employers of entities and Brcko District of BiH are asking for is an increase in quotas for the employment of foreigners on an annual level, because they believe that for certain occupations in the labor market in BiH, the necessary workforce cannot be found, but must be imported from other countries.
It is now a question for the competent authorities how to harmonize the application of the quota system as a mechanism for controlling the employment of foreigners in BiH, primarily as a mechanism for protecting the local workforce, taking into account the possible needs of employers for more massive employment of foreign workers,” the ARZ emphasizes.
It was underlined that in any case quotas can be increased at the request of employers, as was the case this year, and it is important to say that employers’ associations participate in the creation of quotas for each year because the entity’s employment offices, as competent institutions, include them in this procedure.
Namely, a total of 1.270 work permits were issued in BiH in the period from January 1st to June 30th, 2022. Observed by activity, 331 permits were issued for construction, 191 for trade, 137 for real estate business, 106 for art, entertainment and recreation, and 100 for the manufacturing industry.
In 2021, 2.775 work permits were issued, and in previous years that number ranged between 2.400 and 2.900.
