Work / Employment in North Macedonia: Requirements and Fees

Work / Employment Residence Permit

Temporary residence on the basis of employment with a North Macedonian employer, combined with a work permit issued by the Employment Agency. 2025 amendments introduced a single combined work-and-residence procedure and waived financial-means/health-insurance proof for employment-based applicants.

Processing time: National Temporary Residence ID card within ~25 days of application (practitioner-reported)
Validity: 1 year, renewable
Language requirement: None for the permit; basic Macedonian required later for permanent residence/naturalization
Permanent residence: Permanent residence after 5 years continuous legal residence (statutory)
Citizenship: Naturalization after 8 years codified (7 years reported for 2026)

Requirements

Valid passport (at least 3 months beyond intended departure)
Job offer from a North Macedonian employer
Work permit / Employment Agency opinion
No-criminal-record certificate from country of residence in last 12 months (apostilled/translated)
Proof of accommodation/domicile in North Macedonia
Employer notarized cost-guarantee statement (2025 requirement)

Required Documents

Valid passport (>=3 months beyond departure) required
Completed MoI residence application form required
Work permit / Employment Agency opinion required
Criminal-record certificate (country of residence, last 12 months) required
Proof of accommodation/domicile required
Employer notarized cost-guarantee statement required

Official fees

Combined work + residence (practitioner-reported) 150 EUR

Process Steps

1

Obtain entry basis

Enter on a C-visa or visa-free per nationality; D long-stay visa applied for after MoI decision if required.
2

Employer initiates work permit

Employer applies to the Employment Agency with passport copy, criminal record, forms and notarized cost-guarantee statement.
3

Employment Agency opinion/permit

Agency issues work permit or opinion.
4

MoI residence decision

Submit residence file to MoI; cure any incomplete documents within 7 days. National Temporary Residence ID issued within ~25 days for work permits.
5

Register employment

Register employment with the Employment Agency within 30 days of permit issuance.
6

Register address

Register your address with the local police after arrival.

Official Sources

Seasonal Work Residence Permit

A distinct temporary residence permit for foreigners performing seasonal work in North Macedonia, valid for up to 6 months per year. It is subject to an annual national quota set by the Employment Agency and does not count toward the 5-year permanent residence qualifying period.

Processing time: 1 to 3 months
Validity: Up to 6 months per calendar year; not renewable beyond the annual cap
Language requirement: None
Permanent residence: Does not count toward the 5-year PR qualifying period
Citizenship: Not applicable

Requirements

Valid passport
Seasonal employment contract with a registered North Macedonian employer
Proof of accommodation in North Macedonia
Criminal record certificate from the country of residence in the last 12 months (as of 26 September 2025)
Health insurance
Employer notarised statement guaranteeing costs of stay and potential removal (as of 26 September 2025)
Application filed within the annual national quota
ESARM (Employment Agency) opinion approving the seasonal hire

Required Documents

Valid passport (minimum 6 months remaining validity) required
Seasonal employment contract signed by a registered North Macedonian employer required
Proof of accommodation (rental contract or hotel booking) required
Criminal record certificate from the country of residence in the last 12 months required
Health insurance policy valid in North Macedonia required
Employer notarised statement guaranteeing costs of stay and forced removal (required from 26 September 2025) required
Completed residence permit application form required

Official fees

Temporary residence permit fee (approximate; official fee schedule not publicly available online) 120 EUR

Process Steps

1

Employer obtains ESARM opinion

The North Macedonian employer submits an application to the Employment Service Agency (ESARM) for a seasonal work opinion, demonstrating the seasonal nature of the role and that the quota has not been exhausted.
2

Gather documentation

Collect all required documents: passport, employment contract, accommodation proof, criminal record certificate from last country of residence (12 months), and health insurance.
3

Submit residence permit application

The employer (or applicant with employer authorisation) submits the seasonal work residence permit application to the nearest Ministry of Interior office along with the ESARM opinion and all supporting documents.
4

Biometric ID card issuance

Upon approval (typically 1–3 months), the Ministry of Interior issues a biometric temporary residence ID card valid for the approved period, up to 6 months.
5

Register employment start

The employer must register the start of employment with ESARM within 30 days of the residence permit being issued (2025 amendment requirement).

Official Sources

Seconded / Intra-Company Transfer Residence Permit

A specific temporary residence permit for employees seconded by a foreign company to a North Macedonian entity under a service contract. Valid for up to 180 days; companies holding 'strategic partner' status may secure up to 1-year stays, extendable for ongoing projects. Formally defined as a distinct category under the 2025 Law on Foreigners amendments.

Processing time: 1 to 3 months
Validity: Up to 180 days for standard secondments; up to 1 year (extendable) for strategic partner companies
Language requirement: None
Permanent residence: Secondment residence time may not count toward permanent residence depending on the qualifying category applied
Citizenship: Not applicable

Requirements

Valid passport
Service contract between the sending foreign company and the North Macedonian receiving entity
Proof of at least 1 year of prior employment with the sending company
Proof of accommodation in North Macedonia
Criminal record certificate from the country of residence in the last 12 months (as of 26 September 2025)
Health insurance
Employer notarised statement guaranteeing costs of stay and potential removal (as of 26 September 2025)
For stays beyond 180 days: evidence of strategic partner status of the contracting company

Required Documents

Valid passport required
Service or secondment contract between sending company and North Macedonian entity required
Proof of minimum 1 year employment with sending company required
Proof of accommodation in North Macedonia required
Criminal record certificate from country of residence in last 12 months required
Health insurance valid in North Macedonia required
Employer notarised cost-guarantee statement required
Strategic partner status certificate (for stays exceeding 180 days)

Official fees

Temporary residence permit fee (approximate; official fee schedule not publicly available online) 120 EUR

Process Steps

1

Prepare secondment agreement

The sending company and North Macedonian receiving entity execute a service or secondment contract. The employee's home employment contract and payroll must remain with the sending company.
2

Gather documentation

Collect passport, secondment contract, proof of prior 1-year employment, accommodation proof, criminal record certificate (last 12 months' country of residence), and health insurance.
3

Submit residence permit application

Submit the application to the Ministry of Interior along with the notarised employer cost-guarantee statement and all supporting documents.
4

Residence ID card issuance

Upon approval, a biometric temporary residence card is issued for up to 180 days (standard) or up to 1 year (strategic partner companies).
5

Extension for strategic partners

If the project is ongoing and the employer holds strategic partner status, the permit may be extended beyond 1 year by filing an extension application before the 5-day pre-expiry deadline.