Getting a work permit in Bosnia and Herzegovina is a two stage process, and the foreign worker does not start it. First, the employer applies to the employment service of the entity where it has its seat: a cantonal employment service in the Federation of BiH, a regional branch of the Republika Srpska Employment Service, or the employment authority of Brčko District. Only once that work permit (radna dozvola) is issued does the worker apply to the state level Service for Foreigners' Affairs for temporary residence on the basis of work (privremeni boravak). Both documents are needed to work legally, and both are normally valid for no more than one year at a time. This guide explains who applies for what, which documents and fees are officially listed, how long each step can take, how renewal works and what it means for your family.

How the work permit and residence system fits together

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) splits the permission to work and the permission to stay between different levels of government. Residence of foreigners is a state matter governed by the Law on Aliens and handled by the Service for Foreigners' Affairs, which sits within the Ministry of Security and runs field centres across the country. Access to the labour market is an entity matter. The Federation of BiH applies its own Law on Employment of Foreigners, Republika Srpska applies its Law on Employment of Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons, and Brčko District has a separate Law on Employment of Foreigners in the Brčko District. The Ministry of Civil Affairs FAQ on work and employment lists these laws side by side and confirms the key point: the work permit is requested by the legal or natural person who intends to employ the foreigner, and the competent office is decided by the employer's seat or place of residence, not by where the worker lives.

A work permit on its own does not let you live in BiH, and a residence permit granted on another basis, such as study, does not automatically let you work.

The order matters. In the Federation of BiH, the Law on Employment of Foreigners says the employer may not sign an employment contract with the foreigner until temporary residence has been approved, and the foreigner may not start work before then. In practice this means three milestones: the work permit decision, the residence approval and only then the contract and first day at work.

Who needs a work permit in Bosnia and Herzegovina

As a general rule, any foreign national or stateless person who wants to work for an employer in BiH needs a work permit. This includes citizens of EU member states. BiH is a candidate for EU membership but not a member state, so the EU rules on free movement of workers do not apply there. A Croatian, German or Polish citizen is treated as a foreigner for labour market purposes in the same way as a citizen of India, Nepal or Türkiye, unless a specific exemption or international agreement applies.

Visa free entry is not a right to work. Nationals of visa exempt countries may stay in BiH for up to 90 days in any 180 day period, but that stay is for purposes such as tourism or business visits. The Law on Aliens allows entry to be refused, or a visa cancelled, if a person intends to do work that requires a permit without holding one.

Exemptions and work without a work permit

The entity laws exempt some categories from the work permit requirement. The Federation of BiH law, for example, lists groups such as certain academic, cultural and sports participants, some trainees, family members of BiH citizens, permanent residents, people with international or temporary protection and volunteers in humanitarian organisations. Diplomats and some project workers fall outside the law entirely.

The Service for Foreigners' Affairs runs a parallel set of residence categories called "work without a work permit" (rad bez radne dozvole). These include founders of companies, highly qualified employment, intra company transfers, members of international missions, staff of religious organisations, people working under an international agreement and people working on projects of significance for BiH. Each category has its own document list. Being in one of these categories removes the work permit step but not the residence step, and the conditions can be demanding, as the section on highly qualified workers and founders below shows.

Which office issues your radna dozvola

The issuing authority depends on the entity where the employer is registered:

• Federation of BiH: the cantonal employment service in the canton of the employer's seat issues the permit, with the approval of the Federation of BiH Employment Institute. Appeals go to the Federation Ministry of Labour and Social Policy.
• Republika Srpska: the regional branch (filijala) of the Republika Srpska Employment Service competent for the employer's seat issues the permit as a decision.
• Brčko District: the district's own employment authority issues permits under the Brčko District law.

If you are offered a job in Sarajevo, Mostar, Tuzla or Zenica, the permit will come through the relevant cantonal service in the Federation of BiH. Banja Luka jobs, and jobs in Bijeljina, Doboj or Trebinje, go through the Republika Srpska Employment Service. A company with its seat in one entity and a worksite in another should confirm with the employment service which office is competent before filing.

The annual quota for foreign workers in BiH

Work permits are issued within an annual quota. According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the quota is the number of work permits that can be issued in BiH in a year for foreigners in certain occupations or activities, including seasonal workers. The Council of Ministers sets it on the proposal of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, no later than 31 December for the following year. Entity employment services feed their estimated needs into that process. The Republika Srpska Government's investment portal also describes the Republika Srpska quota as set by the Employment Service with the consent of the Republika Srpska Government.

Within the quota, extensions of existing permits are processed before new permits under the Federation of BiH law, and foreigners who already hold temporary residence in BiH through family reunification with a foreign resident have priority.

Some permits can be issued outside the quota. The Ministry of Civil Affairs lists, among others:

• foreigners who completed higher education, postgraduate or doctoral studies in BiH
• foreigners whose work is based on an international agreement
• foreigners performing key tasks in a business entity
• teachers who teach or assist in teaching because of their specific knowledge
• professional athletes and sports workers with a valid contract
• foreigners who renounced BiH citizenship
• spouses, partners and children of a foreigner with approved permanent residence in BiH

The quota is a ceiling, not a promise: a filled quota for an occupation can block new applications.

Applying for a work permit in the Federation of BiH

In the Federation of BiH, the employer files the application with the cantonal employment service where it has its seat. The worker supplies personal documents, usually from abroad, but the application is the employer's.

The labour market check and deficit occupations

Under the Federation Law on Employment of Foreigners, the cantonal service may not issue a permit if a registered unemployed person in the area of the employer's seat meets the job requirements and accepts the job. Founders, board members and key staff of companies in majority foreign ownership, and registered craftspeople, are exempt from this check, and the law requires a shorter procedure for some of these categories.

The Federation Parliament has adopted amendments to the Federation Law on Employment of Foreigners that change this check. The Federation of BiH Employment Institute must adopt, by 30 October each year for the following year, a decision listing deficit occupations for each cantonal service. For occupations on that list, the unemployment register check is not required. The amendments also:

• set a renewal window of no earlier than 60 days and no later than 30 days before the permit expires
• require the cantonal service to decide within 30 days of receiving a complete application
• allow the cantonal service to reject an application if missing documents are not supplied by the deadline it sets
• require employers to notify the cantonal service and the Service for Foreigners' Affairs within 15 days if a foreign worker does not start work or stops working
• remove the separate exemption for directors of companies in majority foreign ownership
• require the Federation Ministry of Labour and Social Policy to set out the permit procedure in a rulebook within 90 days of entry into force

The amendments enter into force on the eighth day after publication in the Official Gazette of the Federation of BiH. Because the detailed rulebook and the first deficit occupations decision follow separately, ask the cantonal service which rules it is applying to your file, and whether the job is on the current deficit list.

Documents the employer files in the Federation of BiH

The law lists the core contents of an application: proof of the employer's registration, the foreigner's details, a description of the job and working conditions, proof of the employer's bank standing, proof that taxes and contributions are paid, a written justification for hiring a foreigner and a certified translation of the worker's diploma. The Zenica-Doboj Canton Employment Service information for foreign nationals turns this into a practical list. For a new permit it asks for certified copies of:

• the worker's passport or other valid travel document
• the worker's diploma, translated into an official language of BiH and recognised (nostrified) by the competent authority, subject to a limited exception
• the employer's registration decision issued in the Federation of BiH, tax number and tax registration certificate
• a bank certificate on the employer's solvency
• for employers with 15 or more jobs, the founding act or work rules with the job systematisation

It also asks for originals of the employer's written justification for hiring the foreigner, proof that taxes and contributions are paid for all employees (except for newly founded firms on a first application) and proof of payment of fees. The same service publishes the forms it uses, including forms OZ 1 and OZ 2, and the formats for its approval and decision documents.

Fees in the Federation of BiH

The Zenica-Doboj Canton Employment Service lists two administrative fees for both a new permit and an extension: 100 KM paid to the cantonal employment service and 50 KM paid to the Federation of BiH Employment Institute in Sarajevo, both for the administrative costs of issuing the work permit. These are fees for processing, not a charge for a job, and they are separate from the residence fee described below. Other cantons may publish their own payment details, so confirm the amount and account with the cantonal service handling the file. Under the entity law the employer bears the duty to apply, and you should treat any request from an intermediary for extra "permit fees" with caution.

Decisions, appeals and time limits

Once the amendments apply, the cantonal service has 30 days from a complete application to decide. Before that, the law already required a 15 day procedure for some fast track categories. A refusal can be appealed to the Federation Ministry of Labour and Social Policy within eight days, and the ministry must decide within 15 days. A work permit in the Federation of BiH cannot be issued for more than one year, and it must expire at least three months before the worker's travel document does.

Applying for a work permit in Republika Srpska

In Republika Srpska, work permits are issued under the Law on Employment of Foreign Citizens and Stateless Persons. The Republika Srpska Government guide to work and residence permits describes the permit as a decision issued by the regional branch of the Republika Srpska Employment Service competent for the employer's seat, within the annual quota. Beyond the general legal requirements, the worker must meet the conditions in collective agreements and the employer's internal rules, plus the special condition of holding a work permit that allows an employment contract to be concluded.

The Republika Srpska guide does not set out fees, processing times or a full document list. Ask the regional branch for its current form, document list and fee schedule before filing, and keep copies of every receipt. The Ministry of Civil Affairs confirms that the permit cannot be issued for more than one year.

Applying for a work permit in Brčko District

Brčko District is a separate administrative unit with its own Law on Employment of Foreigners in the Brčko District. An employer with its seat there applies to the district's employment authority rather than to either entity. The general rules apply: the employer applies, permits fall within the annual quota and validity is capped at one year. For documents and fees, contact the district authority directly.

Temporary residence for work with the Service for Foreigners' Affairs

With a work permit in hand, the worker applies for temporary residence on the basis of work with a work permit. This is a personal application by the foreign national, using form PB-4.1. The Service for Foreigners' Affairs page on residence for work with a work permit sets out the full checklist.

Entering BiH and the D visa

How you get to the point of filing depends on your nationality. Under the Law on Aliens, a long stay visa (visa D) is the route for stays over 90 days. It is issued with the prior consent of the Service for Foreigners' Affairs, the BiH diplomatic or consular mission collects the documents and forwards them, and the holder can then apply for temporary residence in BiH. The residence checklist refers to a copy of the D visa "if held", which reflects the fact that nationals of visa exempt countries usually enter without one. Check with the BiH embassy or consulate in your country, or with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, whether you need a D visa, and do not travel to start work on a short stay entry.

Documents for temporary residence on the basis of work

For a first application the Service for Foreigners' Affairs asks for:

1. form PB-4.1, completed legibly by hand or electronically, signed and printed double sided on one sheet
2. proof of payment of the 150 KM administrative fee
3. one recent photograph, 35 x 45 mm
4. two copies of the passport (one certified, one plain) showing the personal data page, the most recent entry into BiH and the D visa if held; the passport must be valid for at least three months beyond the residence period requested
5. a copy of the foreigner's address registration form, known as the "white card" (bijeli karton)
6. the work permit issued by the competent employment service
7. the court registration decision of the employing company
8. tax certificates from the entity tax administration and the Indirect Taxation Authority, no older than 90 days, where the company is based in BiH and has a foreign founder or co founder
9. a medical certificate, no older than three months, showing no disease that threatens public health
10. certificates from the country of usual residence showing no pending criminal proceedings and no convictions, each no older than six months (not required for children under 14)
11. proof of accommodation in BiH: an ownership document, a lease, or the landlord's signed consent with proof of ownership or the right to use the property

The Law on Aliens also requires means of subsistence and health insurance for temporary residence, but it states that a foreigner holding a work permit is presumed to meet both conditions. That is one of the practical advantages of the work route.

Two general rules apply to every document. All foreign language documents must be translated into one of the official languages of BiH (Bosnian, Croatian or Serbian), and documents must be originals or certified copies, except the white card and the previous residence decision. Ask the field centre whether foreign certificates need legalisation or an apostille.

The 150 KM residence fee

The Service for Foreigners' Affairs states an administrative fee of 150 KM for approval or extension of temporary residence. It covers the processing of the residence application. It does not include the work permit fees paid by the employer, translation, legalisation, medical examinations or criminal record certificates, which you pay separately to the providers concerned.

Where to file

Residence applications are filed with the field centre (terenski centar) of the Service for Foreigners' Affairs competent for the area where you live. Forms are available at the field centres and on the Service's website. Register your address first, because the white card is part of a first application. Your landlord or accommodation provider is usually involved in that registration, so agree on it when you sign the lease.

After approval, the residence card and starting work

The Law on Aliens provides for the residence permit to be issued as a card with biometric data, replacing the earlier passport sticker. The Republika Srpska Government guide describes the same change: the sticker counts as a decision approving the stay and allows border crossings while valid, and it is replaced by a personalised residence permit card once the technical conditions are met. While your residence is valid you are exempt from visa requirements for entering BiH.

Once residence is approved, the employer can conclude the employment contract and register you for tax and social insurance. Your contract should match the job, employer and conditions stated in the work permit. In the Federation of BiH, the law requires the employer to place the worker only in the job specified in the permit and prohibits transferring the permit to another employer. Our separate guide on employers hiring foreign workers covers contracts, registration and inspection in more detail.

How long a work permit in BiH lasts and how to renew it

Both permissions run on a one year cycle. Temporary residence is generally granted for up to one year and can be extended on request, but only on the same basis as the original residence. The work permit is capped at one year in every part of the country, and in the Federation of BiH it must expire at least three months before your passport does. A passport close to expiry therefore shortens both permits, so renew it well before you start the process.

Renewal follows the same two steps. The employer applies to extend the work permit. In the Federation of BiH the original law requires this at least 30 days before expiry, and the amendments add a window that opens 60 days before expiry. For the extension the Zenica-Doboj Canton Employment Service asks for the passport, the employment contract signed under the previous permit, a court register extract or equivalent certificate, the employer's bank certificate, the written justification, proof of paid taxes and contributions and the same 100 KM and 50 KM fees.

The worker then applies to extend temporary residence with the same PB-4.1 form and the 150 KM fee. For an extension the Service for Foreigners' Affairs asks for a copy of the most recent residence decision or permit sticker instead of the white card. If the work permit extension has been applied for but not yet decided when you file, you can attach the receipt for the work permit application. The medical certificate and home country criminal record certificates are generally not required for extensions unless the field centre asks for them, but you must provide BiH certificates showing no pending criminal proceedings and no convictions, unless the Service obtains them officially.

The Law on Aliens text available from official sources does not give a single deadline for filing a residence extension, and the Service's checklist does not state one either. Ask your field centre when to file, and do not wait until the final days of validity. Avoid any gap between the expiry of your current permit and the new decision, because working without valid authorisation exposes both you and your employer to penalties.

Bringing your family on a work permit

Family members do not gain residence automatically. They apply for temporary residence on the basis of family reunification, a separate category with its own document list. Under the Law on Aliens, a foreigner can sponsor family members if they hold permanent residence, a blue card, or temporary residence of at least one year with good prospects of obtaining permanent residence, among other categories. The sponsor must provide accommodation, a stable income or sufficient means and health insurance for the family.

Eligible family members include a legally valid spouse or unmarried partner, children under 18, children in regular education up to 26 who depend on the sponsor, adult children who cannot support themselves and dependent parents. Family reunification residence is granted for up to one year and is renewable on the same conditions. Marriages or partnerships concluded only to obtain residence do not qualify.

A family member who wants to work needs a work permit of their own unless an exemption applies. The quota rules help: a foreigner with temporary residence through family reunification with a foreign resident has priority in the quota, and the spouse, partner or child of a foreigner with permanent residence can be issued a permit outside the quota. An adult who has lived in BiH continuously for three years on family reunification residence can apply separately on another basis.

Highly qualified workers and company founders

Two residence routes skip the work permit step but carry strict conditions. The Service for Foreigners' Affairs page on highly qualified employment (form PB-5.1) requires:

• proof of a higher education qualification
• at least five years of work experience in the field, gained after completing higher education
• an employment or other suitable contract for at least one year, stating a gross annual salary of at least 1.5 times the average gross annual salary in BiH according to official statistics

The salary threshold is gross, before tax and contributions, and it moves with official statistics, so check the current average with the Agency for Statistics of BiH before relying on an offer.

The Service for Foreigners' Affairs page on company founders covers foreigners who found a business in BiH. Among other documents, it asks for proof that the company employs at least five BiH citizens for each foreign worker, founders included, and proof that each employee is paid at least the average gross wage in BiH, along with tax clearances no older than 90 days and proof of health insurance in BiH. Both routes use the same 150 KM residence fee.

When a work permit ends and what must be reported

In the Federation of BiH, a work permit ends when it expires, when temporary residence is refused, ended or cancelled, when the employment contract or craft business ends, or when the permit is cancelled. The Service for Foreigners' Affairs must inform the cantonal service on the same working day when residence ends. A criminal conviction can also void the permit, with a one year bar on a new permit. The amendments add the employer's duty to report within 15 days if a worker does not start or stops work.

Because the permit is tied to one employer and one job, a new job means a new permit. Our separate guides on changing employers on a work permit and on job loss on a work permit explain those situations in detail.

The Federation law also sets fines for employers who break the rules, for example by continuing to employ a foreigner after the permit expires. Keep copies of your permit, residence decision and contract, and track their expiry dates yourself.

Common reasons work permit applications stall

Most delays come from preventable gaps:

• Untranslated or unrecognised diplomas. The Federation of BiH document list requires translation and, in most cases, recognition by the competent authority.
• Expired certificates. Medical certificates must be no older than three months, criminal record certificates no older than six months and tax certificates no older than 90 days at the time of filing.
• Employer arrears. An employer that has not paid taxes and contributions for its staff cannot provide the proof the cantonal service requires.
• Accommodation documents. A landlord's consent must come with proof of ownership or the right to use the property.
• Quota limits. If the quota for an occupation is used up, a new permit may not be possible until the next allocation, unless the job falls under an outside the quota category.

A practical checklist for applicants

1. Confirm the employer's seat and therefore the competent office: a cantonal service in the Federation of BiH, a Republika Srpska Employment Service branch or Brčko District.
2. Ask the employer whether the job is in the quota, whether a labour market check applies and, in the Federation of BiH, whether the occupation is on the deficit list.
3. Check that your passport is valid for well over a year and three months, then start translation and recognition of your diploma.
4. Request criminal record certificates close to filing, and check with the BiH embassy or consulate whether you need a D visa.
5. Once in BiH, secure accommodation and register your address to obtain the white card.
6. When the work permit is issued, get the medical certificate and file form PB-4.1 with the field centre, with the 150 KM fee.
7. Sign the employment contract and start work only after residence is approved.
8. Diary the expiry dates of both permits and start renewal at least 60 days before the work permit ends.

Rules differ by entity, by nationality and by category, and they change through amendments and annual decisions. Before you resign from a job abroad or travel, confirm the current requirements with the employment service and the field centre. No intermediary can guarantee a permit, and neither the quota nor a job offer creates a right to one.

Sources and References

• FAQ on work, employment, social protection and pensions, Ministry of Civil Affairs of BiH
• Temporary residence for work with a work permit, Service for Foreigners' Affairs
• Temporary residence for highly qualified employment, Service for Foreigners' Affairs
• Temporary residence for company founders, Service for Foreigners' Affairs
• Law on Aliens, text published by the Prosecutor's Office of BiH
• Law on Employment of Foreigners of the Federation of BiH, Parliament of the Federation of BiH
• Amendments to the Federation Law on Employment of Foreigners, Parliament of the Federation of BiH
• Government proposal and explanatory notes for the amendments, Government of the Federation of BiH
• Information for foreign nationals on work permits, Zenica-Doboj Canton Employment Service
• Work and residence permit, Government of Republika Srpska investment portal