The recent amendments to the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Employment of Foreigners bring comprehensive changes to the way foreigners are allowed to reside and work in Serbia. These amendments represent a step towards modernization and improvement of processes, creating a better environment for foreigners in our country.
Below are the key points regarding the aforementioned laws:
1. Additional obligations imposed on travel organizers
The main change relates to Article 13a of the Law on Foreigners, which now prescribes additional measures to prevent the illegal stay of foreigners in Serbia. According to the new provisions, organizers of tourist or business trips, as well as sponsors, must ensure that foreigners coming to the Republic of Serbia under their organization or based on an invitation letter, stay in the country in accordance with the law. These entities are also required to take measures to prevent the illegal stay of foreigners after entering the country.
2. Unified Permit
One of the key novelties is the introduction of the Unified Permit for temporary residence and work, which replaces the previous two separate documents – work permit and approval for temporary residence. This integrated permit provides foreigners with easier and more efficient access, streamlining administrative procedures and contributing to faster processing of their requests.
The Unified Permit will be in the form of a biometric document containing all relevant information about the foreigner. The transition to electronic submission of applications for the Unified Permit via the Foreigners’ Portal is another significant change. This digitization allows foreigners to submit their applications from the comfort of their home or any location worldwide, eliminating the need for personal presence and speeding up the processing process. Competent authorities are required to decide on the application within 15 days from the date of receipt of a complete application.
3. Stricter penalties for employers
Additionally, the new amendments to the Law on Employment of Foreigners introduce stricter penalties aimed at employers. A legal entity employer may now be fined with a monetary penalty ranging from 800,000 to 2,000,000 RSD if they employ a foreigner contrary to the provisions of this law. This change aims to strengthen the protection of the rights of foreign workers and ensure compliance with legal regulations.
4. Permanent residency for foreigners with approved asylum in Serbia
Authorities will now grant permanent residency to foreigners who have resided in Serbia for more than three years based on approved asylum status. This change provides additional support to foreigners in their integration and empowerment processes in society.
As we can see, Serbia is continuously working on creating a favorable environment for foreign investors and workers, as evidenced by numerous amendments to legislation. These changes aim to facilitate the process of employing foreigners, providing clear guidelines and procedures to reduce administrative burdens and improve efficiency.
