What applies when hiring from North Macedonia
North Macedonia 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). North Macedonian nationals can obtain approval from the Federal Employment Agency (BA) for any type of employment. Recognition of their qualifications in Germany is not required, except in regulated professions.
The first approval requires the visa to be applied for at the responsible German mission in one of the six countries; this cannot be done from within Germany. For applicants in North Macedonia, the German Embassy in Skopje is responsible.
Three points are specific to North Macedonia: the visa at the embassy in Skopje and its costs, the BA processing status (‘tagesaktuell’, as of 14 October 2026) and driving licence conversion. The general requirements are explained in our guide to the Western Balkans Regulation.
Visa: German Embassy in Skopje
Visa applications under the Western Balkans Regulation are the responsibility of the German Embassy in Skopje; the decision on the visa is made exclusively by the embassy. The BA pre-approval is a prerequisite.
As costs, the embassy lists the visa fee of €75 – paid in MKD – and a service fee of €37.50 charged by the external service provider. Translations into German come on top.
The pre-approval is valid for nine months from the date of issue, and the visa must be granted within that period. The €75 corresponds to the fee for a national visa (section 46(2) no. 1 AufenthV).
Our part of the process:
- Preparing the candidates’ documents in full, including translations
- Booking the appointments at the embassy
- Communicating with the authorities
Candidates aged 45 and over: if employment starts after the 45th birthday, the first approval requires a minimum salary – €4,647.50 gross per month in 2026, according to the embassy in Skopje – or proof of adequate retirement provision (section 1(2) BeschV).
BA processing status and timeline
For North Macedonian 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 North Macedonia we therefore usually expect 10–12 weeks from signing with us to the start of work. Because applications are only processed while the monthly quota for the nationality concerned has not been used up, this can change; the BA publishes the current status on its Western Balkans Regulation page.
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) lists, for each country included, the classes that can be converted without a theory or practical test. North Macedonia appears there as ‘Republik Nordmazedonien’ (Republic of North Macedonia), with all classes. In principle, this also covers the truck classes C and CE.
For professional drivers, this is a clear difference from 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.
| Country | Classes without a test | Truck classes C/CE |
|---|---|---|
| North Macedonia (in Annex 11: ‘Republik Nordmazedonien’) | all classes | listed |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | only A1, A, B | not listed – driving licence authority decides (section 31 FeV) |
How we find and assess candidates from North Macedonia
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 can offer candidates from all six Western Balkan countries and from Croatia. Our casting events take place in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia; for candidates from North Macedonia we use video interviews or a practical test by arrangement, depending on the profile – for example at our assessment centre in Jelah.
We place workers exclusively in direct employment with your company – no temporary agency work (Arbeitnehmerüberlassung). 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 without you having to travel
- Where possible, at least A1/A2 German or good English; language courses before arrival on request
- Success-based: you pay only for a successful placement, and the service is free for candidates
Since 2021 we have placed more than 400 skilled workers; over 68,000 candidates are registered in our database in total. Not every candidate is given a practical test.
Quota from 2027: what it means for North Macedonian nationals
The Western Balkans quota also applies to North Macedonia: up to 50,000 first-time approvals per calendar year (section 26(2) BeschV, as of 8 November 2026), split by month and nationality. Applications for North Macedonian nationals can only be 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. Build in extra time. Depending on the profile, there are routes that are not subject to the quota; we check which one fits your vacancy before the application.