Administrative reforms trigger debate over genuine labour shortages and domestic wage structures in FBiH

The Rulebook on the Procedure for Issuing Work Permits was signed on 2 November by Adnan Delic, the former FBiH Minister of Labour and Social Policy. According to statements from the Ministry, the new regulation provides detailed standards governing documentation, administrative actions, and strict timelines, including a mandate to issue decisions no later than 30 days after receiving a complete application. Crucially, the reform introduces an exemption from checking unemployment records for positions designated as occupations in short supply under a specialized annual list.

The FBiH Employment Institute confirmed that the proposed shortage list for 2027 has been finalized and submitted to the FBiH Ministry of Labour and Social Policy for formal approval. Ernis Imamovic, Assistant Minister for Labour, Employment and Occupational Safety, noted that the legal deadline of 30 October for adopting the annual list had passed prior to final approval. Imamovic explained that regional needs are evaluated across individual cantonal employment services based on local shortages, strategic investment requirements, and broader economic development goals. He added that the draft list includes highly specialized roles requiring advanced qualifications, where foreign nationals have not historically been employed.

The Employment Institute acknowledged that it lacks specific data distinguishing whether recruitment obstacles stem primarily from skill mismatches or inadequate pay. A late 2025 labour market survey highlighted high demand for 2026 across diverse sectors, including sales assistants, call centre operators, sewing machine operators, truck drivers, waiters, locksmiths, warehouse workers, cooks, CNC operators, and software engineers.

Nihad Imsirovic, President of the FBiH Employers' Association, argued that official records showing approximately 260,000 registered unemployed individuals do not reflect the actual available workforce. Imširović stated that many individuals register primarily to maintain health insurance and social benefits, advocating for a formal division between active and inactive jobseekers. He cautioned that retaining administrative hurdles for foreign labor could undermine economic growth, while noting that employers are willing to provide wage increases if the broader business environment improves.

Conversely, Samir Kurtovic, President of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, warned against bypassing domestic recruitment checks without investigating wage structures. Citing sectors such as construction, hospitality, and retail, Kurtovic emphasized that vacancies often coincide with minimum wage offers, asserting that domestic workers legitimately reject unfavorable terms. He called for strengthened inspection capacities to ensure strict parity of treatment between domestic and foreign workers.

Meanwhile, institutional efforts to support the domestic workforce continue, with more than 100 million Bosnian marks (approx. € 51.13 million) allocated this year for employment, self-employment, and training programmes targeting around 11,000 unemployed individuals.