Hiring skilled workers from Montenegro

What applies when hiring from Montenegro

Montenegro 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). Montenegrin nationals can therefore 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 Montenegro, that is the German Embassy in Podgorica.

Three points are specific to Montenegro: only people whose habitual residence is in Montenegro can apply in Podgorica; visa processing can take up to three months; and Annex 11 FeV lists all classes for the driving licence. The general requirements are explained in our guide to the Western Balkans Regulation.

Visa: German Embassy in Podgorica

Only people whose habitual residence is in Montenegro – meaning they have been lawfully staying there for six months or longer – can apply at the German Embassy in Podgorica. That is why we clarify during selection where a candidate lives and since when.

As a non-binding guide value for processing an employment visa, the embassy gives two weeks to three months; it is at least three months if the person has previously stayed in Germany for more than 90 days.

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:

• Checking that the candidate has lived lawfully in Montenegro for at least six months
• Asking about previous stays in Germany of more than 90 days
• Preparing the candidates’ documents in full
• Booking the appointments at the embassy
• Communicating with the authorities

BA processing status and timeline

For Montenegrin nationals the BA reports the processing status as ‘tagesaktuell’ (as of 14 October 2026): pre-approval applications are processed without a backlog.

For candidates from Montenegro we therefore usually expect 10–12 weeks from signing with us to the start of work. If visa processing falls at the upper end of the embassy's guideline – for example after an earlier stay in Germany of more than 90 days – the start date moves back accordingly. The BA status is also only a snapshot: applications are only 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

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 Montenegro, all classes are listed – so in principle this also covers the truck classes C and CE.

For professional drivers, this is a clear advantage over Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Annex 11 lists only A1, A and B. In each case the driving licence authority (Fahrerlaubnisbehörde) decides; we take this into account when selecting candidates.

How we find and assess candidates from Montenegro

Balkan Recruiters is the licensed private employment agency of SSC d.o.o. Jelah-Tešanj, based in Jelah, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and registered with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (decision no. UPI 03-30/12-125/26 EB). This matters, because the BA must refuse approval where unlawful placement is involved (section 40(1) no. 1 AufenthG).

We offer candidates from all six Western Balkan countries and from Croatia. We hold casting events in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia; depending on the profile, candidates from Montenegro introduce themselves in a video interview or show their skills in a practical test by arrangement, for example at our assessment centre in Jelah.

We place workers exclusively in direct employment with your company – no temporary agency work (Arbeitnehmerüberlassung). You conclude the employment contract directly with the worker. The BA must refuse approval for agency workers in any case (section 40(1) no. 2 AufenthG).

• Practical test by arrangement, for example at the 680 m² assessment centre in Jelah, filmed on 4K cameras; task defined with you on request, results in your CRM portal
• Where possible, at least A1/A2 German or good English; language courses before arrival on request
• Health insurance for every placed worker through our partnership with BARMER
• Success-based: you pay only for a successful placement, and candidates pay nothing

We have been active since 2021, have placed more than 400 skilled workers and have over 68,000 candidates registered in our database in total. Not every candidate takes a practical test.

Quota from 2027: what it means for Montenegrin nationals

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 Montenegrin nationals are only processed while their monthly quota has not been used up.

According to the BA, the 2026 quota will be used up before the end of the year; already in 2025 it was not enough for all applications. 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.