Bosnia and Herzegovina (BA)

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is a Balkan gem combining Ottoman heritage, Habsburg architecture, Adriatic mountain scenery, and one of the lowest costs of living in Europe.

Capital: Sarajevo

Region: Europe

Language: Bosnian

Currency: BAM (KM)

Cost of living: Very affordable (index 27)

Emergency: 112

Jobs & Work Permits

Everything you need to find work and get authorised to work in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Federalni zavod za zapošljavanje / Zavod za zapošljavanje RS

Služba za zapošljavanje

Register as a job-seeker (prijava na evidenciju) at your local cantonal Employment Service office (Služba za zapošljavanje) in FBiH, or the RS Employment Service in Republika Srpska. Bring valid ID/passport, education certificates, and work history documentation. Registration is free and required to access unemployment benefits if eligible.

Services offered:

✓Job vacancy listings (Oglasi za posao)
✓Career counselling and CV writing support
✓Referrals to subsidised training and requalification programmes
✓Mediation services for employment (posredovanje u zapošljavanju)
✓Unemployment benefit administration (novčana naknada za nezaposlene)
✓Information on work permit procedures for foreign nationals

Expat eligibility: EU/EEA citizens and those with valid work permits can register at the Employment Service. Non-EU nationals require a valid work permit (radna dozvola) before accessing most employment-related services. The Employment Service administers the labour market test required when employers wish to hire non-EU workers — a formal notification or approval is typically required.

Visit Federalni zavod za zapošljavanje / Zavod za zapošljavanje RS

💼 Work Permits

EU Citizens

EU/EEA citizens have easier administrative access to the BiH labour market under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA). They still need to register residence and obtain a work permit (radna dozvola), but the process is streamlined and the labour market test requirement is often waived. After establishing legal residence, registration at the local police administration (policijska uprava) and MUP is required.

Non-EU Citizens

Non-EU/EEA nationals require a work permit (radna dozvola) before starting employment. The employer typically initiates the process: submitting a request to the cantonal Employment Service, demonstrating the position could not be filled locally (labour market test), and then the employee applies for a Temporary Residence Permit for work (privremeni boravak radi zapošljavanja) at MUP. Work permit and temporary residence applications run concurrently. Processing time: 15–30 working days.

EU Blue Card

Bosnia and Herzegovina does not offer an EU Blue Card (BiH is not an EU member). There is no equivalent high-skilled worker fast-track permit. All non-EU workers follow the standard work permit procedure regardless of qualification level.

Freelancer Visa

BiH does not have a specific digital nomad or freelancer visa. Remote workers can enter and stay on a short-stay visa (or visa-free, for EU/many Western nationals) for up to 90 days in 180. For longer stays, a self-sufficiency Temporary Residence Permit is the most common route — requires proof of regular foreign income, accommodation and health insurance.

⏱️ Work Culture

Typical hours 40 hours/week standard. Government and public sector: 08:00–16:00 Monday–Friday. Private sector: 08:00–17:00 or 09:00–17:00 with variable flexibility. IT companies increasingly offer remote/hybrid working. Overtime is paid at premium rates (at least 30% in FBiH).

Annual leave Minimum 20 working days (4 weeks) annual leave by law. Many employers offer 22–25 days in practice. Additional leave for years of service is common in collective agreements.

Sick leave Paid sick leave with doctor's certificate (ljekarsko uvjerenje). Employer pays 80% of average salary for the first 42 days (FBiH); health fund takes over from day 43. RS: employer pays for first 30 days, fund thereafter.

Trial period Probation period (probni rad): standard 3 months; up to 6 months for senior roles by agreement. Either party can terminate with 7 days notice during probation. After probation, full dismissal protections apply.

Notice period Minimum notice: 14 days (under 1 year service); 30 days (1–5 years); 45 days (5–10 years); 60 days (over 10 years). Employer must pay salary during notice or pay in lieu.

Salary range Minimum wage 2026 (net): KM 1,027/month in Federation of BiH (FBiH); KM 1,000/month in Republika Srpska. Each entity sets its own rate independently (1 EUR ≈ 1.955 KM). IT sector median: KM 2,500–4,000/month. International organisations: EUR 1,500–4,000/month. Finance/accounting: KM 1,200–3,000/month. Healthcare (public): KM 1,000–2,500. Income tax is flat 10%, social contributions ~41.5% of gross.

Pay frequency Monthly, typically on a fixed date agreed in the employment contract (usually the last 5 working days of the month).

Contract types

·Ugovor o radu na neodređeno vrijeme (Permanent/open-ended contract — standard)
·Ugovor o radu na određeno vrijeme (Fixed-term contract — max 2 years, renewable once)
·Ugovor o djelu (Service/task contract — for specific projects, no employer social contributions, client withholds tax)
·Ugovor o privremenim i povremenim poslovima (Temporary/casual work contract)

🔍 Job Boards

Posao.ba

The leading job portal in BiH covering all sectors. Best for local companies, NGOs and public institutions. Interface in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian.

MojPosao.ba

Second major job site with strong focus on technical, IT and professional roles. Also covers Croatian and regional markets.

Oglasi.ba

General classifieds including job listings — particularly useful for hospitality, tutoring, trades and part-time work.

Growing professional network — increasingly used by Bosnian companies, IT firms and international organisations based in Sarajevo. Essential for networking.

Upwork / Freelancer.com

Widely used by BiH IT professionals, designers and translators for remote freelance work for Western clients. Many BiH residents earn in EUR via these platforms.

🌍 Expat-Friendly Resources

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OSCE / UN / EU Delegation Job Portals

International organisations based in Sarajevo (OSCE, EUFOR, UN agencies, EU Delegation, USAID) post vacancies on their own portals — main source of English-language professional employment.

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Expats in Sarajevo Facebook Group

Active expat community group with job leads, freelance opportunities and recommendations for international workers in BiH.

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InterNations Sarajevo

Global expat network with professional events in Sarajevo — useful for networking with the diplomatic and NGO community.

📝 Application Tips

CV format: CV (biografija/CV) should be 1–2 pages for local employers. A photo on the CV is common and expected by local companies (unlike UK/US practice). Include personal details, education, work experience in reverse chronological order. References (preporuke) carry significant weight — name-dropping a known contact can open doors. For international organisations, use a standard international CV without photo.

Cover letter: Expected

Language: Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian is essential for most local companies, government and public sector roles. IT companies and NGOs increasingly hire English-only speakers for specialist roles. Knowledge of both English and local language significantly widens opportunities. German is a plus for companies supplying the German-speaking market.

Interviews: Business culture is relationship-driven — coffee and small talk before formal discussion is the norm. Punctuality is expected but meetings often start a few minutes late. Formal qualifications matter but personal connections (veze) and referrals carry more weight than in Western Europe. Expect informal multi-round interviews; a practical test is common for IT roles.

🤝 Networking Tips

→Create a LinkedIn profile and connect with people at target companies and international organisations in Sarajevo.
→Join the Expats in Sarajevo Facebook group — active job leads, recommendations and informal networking.
→Attend InterNations Sarajevo events — good for meeting the diplomatic and NGO community.
→Join local tech community events: Sarajevo IT Meetup and startup events at co-working spaces (Impact Hub Sarajevo).
→Learn basic Bosnian phrases — even minimal local language effort is disproportionately well-received and builds trust.
→The Hash House Harriers (Sarajevo HHH) and hiking clubs are great informal networking venues across the expat and local professional community.

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