What applies when hiring from Serbia
Serbia 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). Serbian 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 Serbia, the German Embassy in Belgrade is responsible.
Three points are specific to Serbia: the visa at the embassy in Belgrade, the BA processing status and driving licence conversion. The general requirements are explained in our guide to the Western Balkans Regulation.
Visa: German Embassy in Belgrade
Visa applications under the Western Balkans Regulation are the responsibility of the German Embassy in Belgrade; the decision on the visa is made exclusively by the embassy. According to the embassy, processing generally takes several weeks.
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 Serbian 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 Serbia 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. For Serbia, all classes are listed; according to the footnote, probationary licences are excluded. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Serbia | all classes (except probationary licences) | listed |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | only A1, A, B | not listed – driving licence authority decides (section 31 FeV) |
How we find and assess candidates in Serbia
We are based in Jelah, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where Balkan Recruiters is registered as the private employment agency of SSC d.o.o. Jelah-Tešanj 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). In Serbia we are present through casting events at which candidates demonstrate their skills in practical tests.
Which route fits depends on the profile: for some roles video interviews are enough, for others a practical test at a casting tells you more. Organising a casting takes about six weeks.
We look for candidates with at least A1/A2 German or good English where possible; language courses before arrival are available on request.
- Casting events with practical tests in Serbia
- Video interviews where the profile does not call for a practical test
- Health insurance for every placed worker through our partnership with BARMER
- Success-based: you pay only for a successful placement, and the service is free for candidates
- Direct employment with your company only – no temporary agency work
Not every candidate is given a practical test – we agree the right approach with you for each occupation.
Quota from 2027: what it means for Serbian nationals
The Western Balkans quota also applies to Serbia: 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 Serbian nationals can only be processed while their monthly quota has not been used up.
The BA expects the 2026 quota to 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 the quota to 25,000 from January 2027. On 4 November 2026, the Bundestag rejected a 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.