The majority of foreign workers in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)during the past year were from Turkey, with 605 workers, followed by 509 from Nepal, 346 from India, 343 from Serbia, 272 from Bangladesh, and 153 from China.
The total annual quota for work permits for the extension and new employment of foreigners in BiH this year amounts to 7.229. Of that, 4.490 work permits are allocated for the Federation of BiH (FBiH), 2,000 for the Republika Srpska (RS), and 739 for the Brcko District, according to the Labor and Employment Agency of BiH.
The annual quota for renewing already issued work permits is 2.820, with 2.090 permits in the FBiH, 500 in RS, and 230 in the Brcko District. For the new employment of foreigners in BiH in 2025, 4.409 work permits are planned, which is 19% more than the previous year.
Out of the total number of annual work permits for new employment of foreigners, the FBiH is allocated 2.400 permits, an increase of 5%, RS is allocated 1.500 permits, marking an increase of 43%, and the Brcko District is allocated 509 permits, an increase of 96%.
The Agency notes that the draft proposal for the 2025 work permit quotas has been prepared based on proposals submitted by the employment offices of the RS, the FBiH, and the Brcko District.
The draft proposal, as they explain, has now been sent to the Ministry of Civil Affairs in the Council of Ministers, which will forward it to the Council.
“These numbers are subject to change, as the proposal has not yet been reviewed by the Council of Ministers,” added the Labor and Employment Agency.
In 2024, most foreign workers came from Turkey
The total annual quota for work permits for the extension and new employment of foreigners in BiH last year was 6.073, of which 4,295 permits were allocated to the FBiH, 1.400 to RS, and 378 to the Brcko District.
“At the BiH level, this figure represents a planned increase of 2.078 permits compared to the previous year. The planned increase applies to the FBiH and the Brcko District, while the RS quota remained unchanged,” stated the Agency.
In the first half of 2024, a total of 3.285 work permits were issued at the BiH level. The majority were issued for construction – 1.071 permits, followed by 475 for other service activities, 354 for manufacturing, 351 for trade, 245 for hospitality, and 204 for arts, entertainment, and recreation.
The majority of foreign workers last year were from Turkey, with 605 workers, followed by 509 from Nepal, 346 from India, 343 from Serbia, 272 from Bangladesh, and 153 from China.
Facilitating employment for surplus workforce in the domestic market
Regarding employment mediation, the Agency continues to facilitate employment for BiH citizens in Slovenia for all professions and in Germany for individuals with completed secondary medical school education.
“The Agency still mediates for the employment of workforce considered surplus in the domestic labor market, aiming to ensure that citizens going abroad for work are protected and that mediation is legal and regulated,” the institution emphasizes.
The number of mediated employments in Slovenia during the first 10 months of 2024 is approximately at the same level as the previous year, with around 5.500 signed contracts, while the number of issued work permits in Slovenia is 11.365, corresponding to the situation in 2023.
“A higher number of issued work permits than signed contracts indicates that we have more extended permits, meaning these are our people who have already been in Slovenia for a longer period. In Slovenia, drivers and workers in the construction sector –welders, masons, construction laborers, and rebar workers –continue to be the most employed,” added the Agency.
In Germany, there is a decreasing trend in the number of mediated employments, with the Agency having mediated the employment of 218 individuals as of November.
“The reason for the lower number of mediated employments in Germany is the reduced interest of citizens due to inflation, particularly the inflation of housing costs,” stated the Labor and Employment Agency.
