Working in Macedonia

In relation to employment foreign nationals and Macedonian citizens have equal rights in the work place. A foreign individual can exercise an employment in Macedonia upon receiving approval for either temporary pr permanent residence in the country.

A foreign individual can also exercise an employment in Macedonia subject to approval being issued by the Employment Agency of the Republic of Macedonia. Foreign nationals coming to the Republic of Macedonia for employment, education, scientific research or professional activity should possess a single-entry visa with one month validity. The Consular Office of an overseas Republic of Macedonia diplomatic Mission normally issues these visas, although the consent of the Ministry of Interior is first required to obtain such a visa. After receiving this visa foreign nationals should obtain residence and work permits from the Bureau for Employment. This procedure should generally take a few weeks. We have translated a part of the Law for foreigners, that might be of your interest:

Business visa may be issued to a foreign citizen who comes to the Republic of Macedonia for performing business activities stipulated in Macedonia’s regulations and which refer to foreign investments or becoming involved in foreign-trade activities. The business visa is issued for an unlimited number of travels with validity period necessary for performing the activity due to which the business visa is issued, but no longer than the validity of the passport.

Business visa for intra-corporative transfers is issued with validity up to three years and it at a request it may be extended by no more than two years. Intra-corporative transfers are temporary transfers of foreign citizens offering services through commercial presence on the territory of Macedonia, who occupy leading managerial or executive positions or who have high and deficient qualifications or education necessary for the work of the trade company in Macedonia.

The business visa provides the foreign citizen with an approved stay and unlimited entries to and exits from Macedonia during business visa validity period. The business visa is issued in a regional organisational unit of the Ministry of Interior depending on the region where the foreign citizen works and stays.

Apart from the business visa issuing application, which the foreign citizen fills in a form issued by MoI’s regional organisational unit, the person needs to submit:

1. Valid passport;
2. photocopy from the judiciary registry where it has been verified that the person is a founder, cofounder or co-partner with certain equity in a company or a document verifying that the person has been appointed for performing some function or duty in a company registered and operating in Macedonia;
3. document of the person’s residence address in Macedonia;
4. (agreement for lease of flat, house etc) two photos;
5. one photo;
6. paid fee in accordance with the Law on Administrative Fees;
7. the competent body in the procedure could request other documents as well.

The Ministry of Interior issues travel certificates for foreigners (TCF) to foreigners with a stay permit in the Republic of Macedonia as well as to other foreigners provided that the foreigner loses his travel certificate or becomes deprived of it in any other manner, and the country whose citizenship he possesses has neither diplomatic or consular representative office in the Republic of Macedonia, nor any other country represents its interests.

For every trip abroad, the foreigner who holds a travel certificate must also provide an appropriate visa from the body that issued the TCF. The application is submitted to the Ministry of Interior and a fee is charged with respect to the place of residence in compliance with the Law on Administrative Fees.

A foreigner with a permanent residence permit for the Republic of Macedonia and who has turned 18 years of age must submit an application for issuing an ID card for foreigners.

As an exemption an ID card for foreigners is also issued to foreigners with a temporary residence permit on the grounds of marriage or employment. With the application, the applicant is also to submit two photographs and pay a fee in compliance with the Law on Administrative Fees. The foreigner must carry the ID card for foreigners with himself at all times.

Foreigners with a (permanent or temporary) residence permit for the Republic of Macedonia must obtain an entry-exit visa from the Ministry of Interior according to the place of residence prior to every trip abroad. The Ministry of Interior issues entry-exit visas to foreigners to whom permanent residence permit has been issued for their trips abroad and return with validity up to a year.
The Ministry of Interior issues entry-exit visas to foreigners for leaving and returning to the Republic of Macedonia with validity no longer than the validity of their temporary residence permit.Valid travel documents are to be submitted and a fee in compliance with the Law on Administrative Fees is to be paid when filing the application.

A foreigner who has married a citizen of the Republic of Macedonia and wants to stay in the Republic of Macedonia on those grounds must submit an application for temporary residence. The following documents are to be enclosed to the application:

1. A marriage certificate, issued by the Ministry of Interior regional branch (if the marriage has been concluded abroad, the applicant must previously go to the competent services in order for the marriage to be registered in the marriage registry in the Republic of Macedonia).
2. A photocopy of valid travel document and the travel document is to be provided only for inspection.
3. A proof that life expenses can be covered (proof of employment, a pension cheque etc). If the applicant has no personal income, the abovementioned documents from the spouse are to be submitted. If the spouse is dependant on other persons, then the aforementioned documents for those persons are submitted with a notary certified statement that the applicant for temporary residence is their dependant).
4. A photocopy of a certificate of reported place of stay or residence.
5. A photocopy of identity documents of the spouse.
6. A fee in compliance with the Law on Administrative Fees.
7. One photograph, and
8. The competent body could also request other documents in the procedure.

The application is to be submitted to the competent body of the Ministry of Interior according to the place of residence of the foreigner. The residence permit is embossed as a stamp on the foreigner’s travel document and may also be issued in writing.