Ghana is in advanced negotiations with Serbia to secure part of the 100,000 work permits Serbia plans to issue this year, according to local media reports cited by N1. This initiative is part of a proposed labor mobility agreement aimed at creating job opportunities for young Ghanaians and strengthening bilateral relations.
The announcement came during a joint press conference in Accra, featuring Ghana’s Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzet Ablakwa and Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric, who is currently on a three-day official visit to Ghana.
Aligned with Ghana’s broader employment strategy, the agreement seeks to provide international opportunities for its growing educated youth population. Serbia, facing a shrinking workforce due to declining birth rates and an aging population, aims to maintain productivity and economic growth by welcoming skilled and semi-skilled labor from abroad.
Minister Ablakwa highlighted the strategic nature of the talks, emphasizing Serbia’s need for younger workers and Ghana’s youthful demographic as a perfect match. Serbia intends to issue 100,000 work permits this year, and Ghana aims to take full advantage of this opportunity to send thousands of its young people to work in Serbia.
Ghana aspires to be the second African country, after Egypt, to formalize a labor mobility agreement with Serbia.
The agreement is expected to cover sectors such as construction, healthcare, ICT, agriculture, and services — fields in Serbia and the region increasingly in need of energetic and qualified young workers.
The Ghanaian Minister emphasized the mutual benefits, noting the agreement will help reduce unemployment in Ghana while addressing Serbia’s manpower shortages.
Beyond labor mobility, both countries are exploring cooperation in education, with Serbia offering scholarships to Ghanaian students through the “World in Serbia” initiative.
