Serbia: Significant Overhaul of Immigration Processes Comes into Effect
February 20, 2024
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At a Glance
- In February 2024, Serbia implemented a significant overhaul of its immigration processes and rules, including:
- launching a new portal for submitting visa and permit applications;
- overhauling its labor market testing processes; and
- relaxing the validity period and renewal process for its Assignment and Intra-company Transfer Work Permits.
- These new processes and rules are in addition to other significant changes – which all came into effect on February 1, 2024 or earlier. This includes a new ‘Single Permit’, which combines the Residence and Work Permit.
- These changes seek to streamline, expedite and relax the visa application process for applicants and employers as part of a broader strategy of attracting and retaining foreign talent.
The situation
In February 2024, Serbia implemented a significant overhaul of its immigration processes and rules.
A closer look
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CHANGE |
DETAILS |
IMPACT |
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New visa application portal launched |
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This change streamlines and consolidates the visa and permit application process for applicants, with employers to potentially enjoy further efficiency dividends once they can apply on behalf of employees from late February 2024 (at the earliest). |
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Changes to labor market testing processes |
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This change streamlines and expedites the work permit application process for employers, ensuring that the critical labor market testing component is addressed as part of the same underlying work permit application.
Furthermore, employers will receive confirmation of labor market test results quicker, ensuring less uncertainty regarding talent management strategies. |
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Relaxed assignment and intra-corporate transfer permit regime |
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Employers can now retain intra-company transferees in Serbia for longer and with reduced concern about rejection of a permit renewal. By reducing such uncertainties, employers’ talent management considerations are simplified. |
These new processes are in addition to other recent improvements – which all came into effect on February 1, 2024 or earlier – including (among other changes):
- a new ‘Single Permit’, which combines both a Residence and Work Permit, for which the standard government processing time is 19 days (down from the previous 70 days). As part of this change, the D Visa (which provides work rights and a right of stay of longer than 90 days) is no longer available to most visa-free nationals, who instead must apply for a Single Permit if they want to work in Serbia. The D-Visa continues to be necessary for applicants who require a visa to enter Serbia, but the Single Permit offers the benefits of a longer stay as well as various in-country benefits related to resident permit status.
- the issuance of Residence and Single Permits in the form of a card with biometric data;
- the granting of a right to work to foreign nationals who have a Residence Permit for certain purposes, including (among other purposes) studying, volunteering, and family reunification.
Background
Through these changes, the Serbian government has sought to streamline the country’s immigration pathways in an effort to attract foreign talent to the local labor market.
Looking ahead
- Single Permit portal updates. Updates to the eUprava portal necessary to allow employers to submit Single Permit applications on behalf of their employees are expected to be completed by late February 2024 (at the earliest).
- Further reform of immigration pathways. There are currently no further scheduled reforms to immigration or mobility pathways in the near term.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
