What applies when hiring from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the six countries covered by the Western Balkans Regulation (Westbalkanregelung: section 26(2) of the Employment Ordinance, BeschV, in conjunction with section 19c(1) of the Residence Act, AufenthG). Its nationals can obtain approval from the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit, BA) for any type of employment; recognition of their qualifications is not required, except in regulated professions.
The first approval is only granted if the visa is applied for at the responsible German mission in one of the six countries – a first application from within Germany is not possible. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, that is the German Embassy in Sarajevo.
The general requirements – such as comparable working conditions, an employment contract or binding job offer, and no temporary agency work – are explained in our guide to the Western Balkans Regulation. This page covers what is specific to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Croatian passport? Many people from Bosnia and Herzegovina also hold Croatian citizenship. With a Croatian passport they are EU citizens: the Western Balkans Regulation and its quota do not apply to them, and no visa or BA approval is needed. That is why we clarify citizenship before the first application.
Visa: German Embassy in Sarajevo
Visa applications under the Western Balkans Regulation are the responsibility of the German Embassy in Sarajevo; the decision on the visa is made exclusively by the embassy.
The BA pre-approval is what counts. Once it has been issued, applicants get an appointment within a few weeks, according to the embassy.
The BA pre-approval is valid for nine months from the date of issue, and the visa must be granted within that period. The fee for a national visa is €75 (section 46(2) no. 1 AufenthV).
Our part of the process:
- Preparing the candidates’ documents in full
- Booking the appointments at the embassy
- Communicating with the authorities
BA processing status and timeline
For each nationality, the BA publishes the receipt date of the applications it is currently processing. For Bosnia and Herzegovina the status is ‘tagesaktuell’ (as of 14 October 2026): applications are processed without a backlog.
Under these conditions it usually takes 10–12 weeks from signing with us to the first working day. The status is only a snapshot, however: applications can only be processed while the monthly quota for the nationality concerned has not been used up.
For comparison: for Kosovo (receipt date 9 March 2026) and Albania (receipt date 25 July 2026), the BA queue adds months to the timeline (as of 14 October 2026).
Driving licence: conversion under Annex 11 FeV
This point matters especially for professional drivers. Annex 11 of the Driving Licence Ordinance (Fahrerlaubnis-Verordnung, FeV) sets out which classes from which country can be converted without a theory or practical test. For Bosnia and Herzegovina, only classes A1, A and B are listed.
Truck classes C and CE are missing. For classes that are not listed, the driving licence authority (Fahrerlaubnisbehörde) decides which tests are required (section 31 FeV). For truck driver vacancies, we take this into account when selecting candidates.
| Classes | Conversion |
|---|---|
| A1, A, B | without a theory or practical test |
| C, CE and all other classes | not listed – the driving licence authority decides which tests are required (section 31 FeV) |
For comparison: for licences from Serbia, Annex 11 FeV lists all classes – except probationary licences.
How we find and assess candidates in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Balkan Recruiters is the licensed private employment agency of SSC d.o.o. Jelah-Tešanj, Vukovo 414A, 74264 Jelah, registered with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federalno ministarstvo rada i socijalne politike), decision no. UPI 03-30/12-125/26 EB. This is more than a formality: the BA must refuse approval if the employment came about through unlawful placement or recruitment (section 40(1) no. 1 AufenthG).
We have been active since 2021. Over 68,000 candidates are registered in our database in total, and we have placed more than 400 skilled workers.
Depending on the profile, we assess candidates through video interviews or a practical test. We look for candidates with at least A1/A2 German or good English where possible; language courses before arrival are available on request.
- Our own 680 m² assessment centre in Jelah, with practical tests filmed on 4K cameras
- Test task defined together with you on request, results in your CRM portal – no travel needed
- Casting events with practical tests in Bosnia and Herzegovina, about six weeks to organise
- Success-based: you pay only for a successful placement, and candidates pay nothing
- Direct employment with your company only – no temporary agency work
Not every candidate takes a practical test – we agree the right approach with you for each occupation.
Quota from 2027: what it means for nationals of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Under section 26(2) BeschV, the BA can grant up to 50,000 first-time approvals per calendar year (wording as of 8 November 2026). The quota is split by month and nationality; applications for nationals of Bosnia and Herzegovina are only processed while their monthly quota has not been used up.
According to the BA, the quota will be used up before the end of 2026. The Federal Government intends to halve it to 25,000 from January 2027; on 4 November 2026 the Bundestag rejected motion 21/2248 to keep it at 50,000. The halving is not yet in force.
For your planning, this means that today’s ‘tagesaktuell’ status (as of 14 October 2026) is no guarantee for 2027. Depending on the profile, there are routes that are not subject to the quota; we check which one fits your vacancy before the application.