How do you hire a Serbian employee in 2026?

1. Issue the offer letter

   Send a written offer the same day as verbal acceptance. Include role, salary, start date, probation of up to 6 months, notice during probation of 5 days, and any conditions such as work-permit verification or references.

2. Complete the work-permit check

   Confirm the employee is a Serbian citizen or holds a valid work permit. For foreign nationals, the permit must be in hand before the start date. Retain a copy of the relevant document in the employment file.

3. Issue the written contract

   The signed Labour Law employment contract must be in place before work begins. Both parties sign two copies. Teamed's standard Serbian contract meets all current requirements. Clients choose commercial terms; Teamed signs as the legal employer.

4. Complete PIO and health registration

   Submit the M-1 form to the Central Register and register the employee with the PIO pension fund and the RFZO health fund. Collect the employee's JMBG, bank account details, and any benefits preferences. This runs across days one to three.

5. Issue the first payslip

   Run the first payroll at the end of the first month. Salary tax and social contributions are filed and paid on the same day as the salary disbursement. The employee receives their payslip and is on the payroll record.

Three traps to avoid in Serbian offer letters:

• Quoting net salary without explaining the deduction structure. Serbia has a flat income tax rate plus employee social contributions totalling nearly 20 percent. Candidates expect gross figures in the contract but often ask about net pay. Clarify which figure is in the offer to avoid disputes later.
• Inconsistent probation terms. If the offer letter states one probation length and the written contract then contradicts it, the contract governs. Align probation terms before issuing either document.
• Promising benefits outside your authority. Committing to a bonus structure or allowance in the offer letter without specifying the conditions can create a contractual entitlement. Use conditional language and confirm all commercial terms with Teamed before the offer goes out.

Teamed's standard Serbian offer letter covers all required ground. Clients choose commercial elements; Teamed holds the legal-employer position and issues the binding contract.

Serbian and other former Yugoslav nationals

Serbian citizens can be employed without any additional documentation. The employer retains a copy of the employee's identity document (licna karta or passport) as part of the employment file.

EU and third-country nationals

Foreign nationals must obtain a temporary residence permit (privremeni boravak) that incorporates work authorisation before they can legally work in Serbia. The permit is issued by the Ministry of Interior. A separate work permit (dozvola za rad) is required for most categories of foreign workers and is applied for alongside or after the residence permit.

Common categories include the work permit for employment (for roles where the employer has demonstrated the position cannot be filled domestically), the intra-company transfer permit, and the permit for highly qualified workers. All foreign-national hires must have the relevant permit in hand before their start date.

Ongoing checks for time-limited permits

Temporary residence and work permits are issued for fixed periods. The employer must track expiry dates and ensure the employee renews before the current permit lapses. Teamed calendars each renewal and alerts the employee and client ahead of the deadline.

What the Serbian written employment contract must include:

• Full names and addresses of both the employer and employee
• Start date and place of work
• Job title and brief description of duties
• Gross salary and pay intervals (at least monthly)
• Working hours (standard 40 hours per week)
• Annual paid leave entitlement (minimum 20 days per year)
• Probation period terms, if agreed (up to 6 months maximum)
• Notice period: minimum 8 days from the employer after probation, minimum 15 days from the employee
• Reference to the applicable collective agreement, if any
• Any other terms agreed between the parties, including benefits, allowances, or bonuses

The contract must be signed in two copies. The employee keeps one copy; the employer keeps the other. Serbian law does not set a minimum font size or format, but the document must be in Serbian or in a language the employee understands.

Teamed's standard Serbian employment contract meets all current Labour Law requirements. Clients choose commercial elements such as salary, bonus, and benefits. Teamed signs as the legal employer.

Key source: Labour Law (Zakon o radu), Articles 23 to 37, via Paragraf.rs.

Real HR and legal experts handle your Serbian hires, from the first offer letter through every monthly payroll filing. An actual person, not a chatbot or a pooled queue. There is no setup fee and no exit fee. Employer cost passes through at cost, itemised on every invoice.

EOR payroll, contractor onboarding, and entity setup all live on one platform. A Serbian contractor who converts to full employment keeps their record. Run the Crossover Calculator to see the month your Serbian hire is ready to graduate to your own entity. Start from the Serbia hiring overview; each guide here takes one layer of Serbian employment law.

Key sources: Labour Law (Zakon o radu) via Paragraf.rs and Government of Serbia minimum wage decision.