In Serbia, during 2023 and 2024, 42 percent of refugees and asylum seekers who sought help from UNHCR to find employment started working, according to data published by the job portal Infostud on World Refugee Day.
Among those employed, 20 percent work in customer support, 17 percent in various sectors of IKEA, 15 percent in tourism, 13 percent in retail chains, and 11 percent in manufacturing. Others are employed in cleaning services, restaurants, IT, accounting, and healthcare.
A joint study with the Commissariat for Refugees showed that from 2019 to 2023, 72 percent of refugees reported being employed. Reliable data on the total number of refugees in the Serbian labor market is lacking, but many refugees and asylum seekers find jobs independently. Most come from Ukraine, Libya, Afghanistan, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Cuba, or Burundi.
Since last year, refugees and asylum seekers no longer need work permits to access the Serbian labor market. According to changes in the Law on Employment of Foreigners, refugees can work legally with an ID card issued by the Asylum Office of the Ministry of Interior, while asylum seekers must also present proof of their status. Asylum seekers can begin working six months after applying for asylum.
UNHCR highlights that these changes are important for refugees as they eliminate administrative fees and for employers who no longer have to wait for work permits. The Commissariat for Refugees encourages employers to recognize refugees as a valuable workforce, emphasizing their potential for innovation and company growth.
UNHCR collaborates with the National Employment Service, the Qualifications Agency, the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration, and corporate partners to facilitate refugee employment. Support includes administrative assistance and informational sessions for HR teams to better understand refugees’ needs, capacities, vulnerabilities, rights, and status.
According to UNHCR, over one-third of refugees and asylum seekers in Serbia have higher education, and more than half have completed secondary school. Refugees have access to all levels of education, with six currently studying at Serbian public universities.
Although most refugees speak Serbian, language barriers and unrecognized foreign diplomas mean some work in jobs unrelated to their experience or education. Those who do not speak Serbian or English face even greater employment challenges.
The Commissariat’s integration support program lasts one year, offering financial aid for language learning and private housing for those granted asylum, but many refugees feel longer support is needed for full integration.
Employment challenges are greater for refugees living in asylum centers in regions with higher unemployment, such as Sjenica and Vranje. While they have opportunities to learn Serbian and validate diplomas with support from the Commissariat and Qualifications Agency, more assistance is still necessary.
UNHCR and partners recently published a Career Guidance Manual for refugees, providing information on diploma recognition, education enrollment, language courses, retraining, job search, and counseling.
To raise employer awareness, UNHCR held conferences in Sjenica and Vranje highlighting opportunities to employ refugees and asylum seekers.
Refugees and asylum seekers sometimes face misunderstandings in daily situations like opening bank accounts, visiting doctors, or employment because their IDs differ from Serbian citizens’ documents.
