The Government of the Republic of Serbia has sent to the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia proposals of the Laws on Amendments to the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Employment of Foreign Citizens. If the laws are adopted, the implementation will start from 01.02.2024. in which period state authorities should adopt bylaws and make technical preparations for the implementation of the Laws.

The essential content of the above-mentioned bills on amendments to the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Employment of Foreign Citizens refers to: the introduction of a unique permit covering a residence permit and a work permit, changes in the application procedure, a longer period of validity of the unique permit and temporary residence, as well as stricter conditions of entry, forced expulsion and higher monetary penalties for misdemeanors.

The need for amendments to the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Employment of Foreign Citizens has arisen due to world events and a greater influx of foreign citizens into the Republic of Serbia in the past year. The current legal solutions represent an excessive administrative and bureaucratic burden for foreign citizens and domestic employers which prevents them to obtain temporary residence permits and work permits for employees, efficiently and in a timely manner. The proposals of the Law on Amendments aim to simplify and speed up the procedure for obtaining residence and work permits in accordance with the needs of the labor market.

I. Unique permit that includes a residence permit and a work permit

The proposed amendments to the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Employment of Foreign Citizens introduce a unique permit, which implies the right of a foreign citizen to stay and work in the Republic of Serbia. So far, foreign citizens have had to regulate their temporary residence first, and then apply for a work permit. A unique permit can be obtained based on employment, which includes self-employment, as well as on the basis of professional specialization, training and practice. A unique permit will be issued with a validity period of up to 3 years depending on the circumstances of the individual case.

II. News in the application process

Applications for the issuance of a unique permit and temporary residence will be submitted exclusively electronically via the Euprava portal. According to the current legal solution, there is a possibility to submit applications online, but in practice most applications are still submitted directly to the competent Immigration Office. Foreign citizens will apply to the Immigration Office, along with documents for temporary residence permits and work permits. The Immigration Office will ex officio communicate with the National Employment Service and obtain approval if the conditions for issuing a work permit are met.

The application for the issuance of a temporary residence permit, i.e., a unique permit, beside a foreign citizen, could be submitted on his behalf and on his account by the employer who intends to employ a foreign citizen, which is a novelty since so far, the application for temporary residence has been exclusively submitted by a foreign citizen.

In practice, the procedure lasted about 2 months and involved first regulating the temporary residence permit and then obtaining a work permit. The Bill on Amendments to the Law on Foreigners stipulates a deadline of 15 days from the submission of a complete application for the issuance of a unique permit or temporary residence permit. 

Foreign citizens will be able to apply for the renewal of temporary residence permit, i.e., a unique permit, no earlier than 30 days, and no later than the day of expiry of the temporary residence permit, i.e., a unique permit. Based on the current legal decision, the application for the renewal of the temporary residence permit was submitted no later than 30 days before the expiry of the temporary residence permit, which created a lot of problems in practice.

III. Permit in the form of a biometric document

The laws on Amendments to the Law on Foreigners stipulates that temporary residence (on all grounds prescribed by the Law), i.e., a unique permit for temporary residence and work permit, should be issued in the form of a biometric document, which replaces the temporary residence label in the passport of a foreign citizen. Prescribing a biometric permit for temporary residence, i.e., a biometric unique permit-permit for temporary residence and work permit is another step forward in harmonizing domestic legislation with European standards when it comes to the security of documents issued to foreign citizens.

In addition to the above, standards related to the security aspect and control of the movement of foreign citizens on the territory of the Republic of Serbia will be raised in a prescribed manner, since all foreigners who are granted temporary residence, i.e. issued a unique permit, will be taken biometric data (photo, fingerprints and signature), in accordance with the law. Also, by issuing a biometric document to foreign citizens who have been granted temporary residence, i.e. issued unique permits, they are equated with citizens of the Republic of Serbia, since the issued document allow them to use other services that citizens of the Republic of Serbia have on the eUprava portal, such as the right to use electronic signatures when exercising their rights and obligations, which is an additional benefit when it comes to the position of foreigners in the Republic of Serbia.

IV. D-visa for employment

Foreign citizens of countries who need a D visa for a longer stay of up to 180 days to perform work, had to obtain a work permit after arriving in the Republic of Serbia, in order to start working. The proposals of the Law on Amendments to the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Employment of Foreign Citizen stipulate that foreign citizens will be able to start working only based on the obtained Visa D, without the obligation to obtain a work permit. In this way, foreign citizens are allowed to regulate their residence and employment status from their home country before coming to the Republic of Serbia, which will especially favor domestic employers who hire foreign citizens to work on shorter projects for up to 180 days.

V. Stricter obligations for inviters, forced eviction procedure and fines for misdemeanors

As, on the one hand, the laws on amendments introduce a significant liberalization of the rules for obtaining temporary residence and work permits, on the other hand, there is a need to make certain provisions of the law stricter, in order to prevent irregular migration and abuse of a more favorable regime that the bill on amendments to the Law on Foreigners should introduce.

Obligations of the inviter when inviting foreign citizens to the Republic of Serbia are prescribed in a transparent manner. In addition, in the event that, after the issuance of the visa, illegal migration occurs, the manner in which the costs of accommodation in a shelter for foreigners and the costs of returning the foreigner to the country of origin are charged from the foreigner, if he has funds, or from the inviter on the basis of whose invitation letter a foreigner came to the Republic of Serbia. In this sense, the legal basis for the adoption of regulations regulating the closer conditions and the method of calculating the costs of forced removal of a foreigner is prescribed.

In the end, in order to ensure better compliance of foreign citizens and domestic employers with regulations, the amount of prescribed monetary penalties for noncompliance with  certain provisions of the Laws on Amendments to the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Employment of Foreign Citizens has been significantly increased. 

If you have any questions regarding this topic, feel free to contact attorney Ana Popović: ana.popovic@zslaw.rs, attorney Danka Draško: danka.drasko@zslaw.rs, attorney Marko Leković: marko.lekovic@zslaw.rsor your regular contact person in  Živković Samardžić Law Office.

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Novine u Zakonu o izmenama i dopunama Zakona o strancima i Zakona o zapošljavanju stranaca

Vlada Republike Srbije je uputila Narodnoj skupštini Republike Srbije predloge Zakona o izmenama i dopunama Zakona o strancima i Zakona o zapošljavanju stranaca. Ukoliko predlozi zakona budu usvojeni, primena će početi od 01.02.2024. godine u kome periodu državni organi bi trebali da donesu podzakonske akte i izvrše tehničke pripreme za primenu Zakona.

Suštinska sadržina gore pomenutih predloga zakona o izmenama i dopunama Zakona o strancima i Zakona o zapošljavanju stranaca odnosi se na: uvođenje jedinstvene dozvole koja obuhvata dozvolu za boravak i dozvolu za rad, promene u postupku podnošenja zahteva, duži period trajanja jedinstvene dozvole i privremenog boravka, kao i strožiji uslovi ulaska, prinudnog iseljenja i veće novčane kazne za prekršaje.

Potreba za izmenama i dopunama Zakona o strancima i Zakona o zapošljavanju stranaca pojavila se usled svetskih dešavanja i većeg priliva stranih državljana u Republiku Srbiju u poslednjih godinu dana. Trenutna zakonska rešenja su predstavljala preterano administrativno i birokratsko opterećenje za strane državljane i domaće poslodavce i onemogućavala ih da efikasno i u kratkom roku obezbede odobrenje za privremeni boravak i radnu dozvolu za zaposlene. Predlozi zakona o izmenama i dopunama imaju za cilj da se postupak pribavljanja boravišne i radne dozvole pojednostavi i ubrza u skladu sa potrebama tržišta rada.

I. Jedinstvena dozvola koja obuhvata dozvolu za boravak i dozvolu za rad

Predloženim izmenama i dopunama Zakona o strancima i Zakona o zapošljavanju stranaca uvodi se jedinstvena dozvola koja podrazumeva pravo stranog državljanina da boravi i radi u Republici Srbiji. Strani državljanini je do sada morao da prvo reguliše svoj boravak, a nakon toga da podnese zahtev za izdavanje radne dozvole. Jedinstvena dozvola moći će da se dobije po osnovu zapošljavanja, a što podrazumeva i samo-zapošljavanje, kao i po osnovu stručne specijalizacije, obuke i prakse. Jedinstvena dozvola izdavaće se sa rokom važenja do 3 godine u zavisnosti od okolnosti pojedinačnog slučaja.

II. Novine u postupku podnošenja zahteva

Zahtevi za izdavanje jedinstvene dozvole i privremenog boravka podnosiće se isključivo elektronskim putem preko portala Euprave. Prema trenutnom zakonskom rešenju postoji mogućnost da se zahtevi podnesu online, ali se u praksi većina zahteva i dalje podnosi neposredno u nadležnoj Upravi za strance. Strani državljani će podnositi zahtev Upravi za strance, zajedno sa dokumentima za odobrenje privremenog boravka i radne dozvole. Uprava za strance će po službenoj dužnosti komunicirati sa Nacionalnom službom za zapošljavanje i dobijati odobrenje da li su ispunjeni uslovi za izdavanje radne dozvole.

Zahtev za izdavanje odobrenja za privremeni boravak, odnosno jedinstvene dozvole pored stranog državljanina moći će u njegovo ime i za njegov račun da podnese poslodavac koji stranog državljanina namerava da zaposli, što predstavlja novitet pošto je do sada zahtev za privremeni boravak isključivo podnosio strani državljanin.

Postupak je u praksi trajao oko 2 meseca i podrazumevao je prvo regulisanje odobrenja za privremeni boravak pa nakon toga pribavljanje radne dozvole. Predlog zakona o izmenama i dopunama Zakona o strancima propisuje rok od 15 dana od podnošenja urednog zahteva za izdavanje jedinstvene dozvole odnosno dozvole za privremeni boravak. 

Zahtev za obnovu privremenog boravka, odnosno jedinstvene dozvole strani državljani moći će da podnesu najranije 30 dana, a najkasnije do dana isteka važenja privremenog boravka, odnosno jedinstvene dozvole. Na osnovu trenutnog zakonskog rešenja zahtev za obnovu odobrenja za privremeni boravak stranac je podnosio najkasnije 30 dana pred istek privremenog boravka, što je stvaralo dosta problema u praksi.

III. Dozvola u formi biometrijskog dokumenta

Predlogom zakona o izmenama i dopunama Zakona o strancima propisano je da se privremeni boravak (po svim osnovama propisanim Zakonom), odnosno  jedinstvena dozvola za privremeni boravak i rad izdaje u vidu biometrijskog  dokumenta, čime je zamenjena nalepnica privremenog boravka koja se utiskuje u pasoš stranca. Propisivanje biometrijske dozvole za privremeni boravak, odnosno biometrijske jedinstvene dozvole-dozvole za privremeni boravak i rad je još jedan korak napred u harmonizaciji domaćeg zakonodavstva sa evropskim standardima kada je u pitanju bezbednost dokumenata koji se izdaju stranim  državljanima.

Pored navedenog, na propisani način podižu se standardi vezani za bezbednosni aspekt i kontrolu kretanja stranih državljana na teritoriji Republike Srbije, budući da će se svim strancima kojima se odobrava privremeni boravak, odnosno izdaje jedinstvena dozvola, uzimati biometrijski podaci (fotografija, otisci prstiju i potpis), u skladu sa zakonom. Takođe, izdavanjem biometrijskog dokumenta stranim državljanima kojima je odobren privremeni boravak, odnosno izdata jedinstvena dozvola su izjednačeni sa državljanima Republike Srbije, budući da im se izdaju dokumenti koji omogućavaju korišćenje i drugih usluga koje imaju državljani Republike Srbije na portalu eUprave, kao što je pravo na korišćenje elektronskog potpisa prilikom ostvarivanja svojih prava i obaveza, što dodatno predstavlja benefit kada je u pitanju položaj stranaca u Republici Srbiji

IV. Viza D na osnovu zaposlenja

Strani državljani država kojima je radi ulaska u Republiku Srbiju potrebna viza D za duži boravak do 180 dana kako bi obavljali rad, morali su nakon dolaska u Republiku Srbiju da pribave radnu dozvolu, kako bi počeli sa radom. Predlozima zakona o izmenama i dopunama Zakona o strancima i Zakona o zapošljavanju stranaca predviđeno je da će strani državljani moći da otpočnu rad samo na osnovu dobijene vize D, bez obaveze da pribave radnu dozvolu. Na ovaj način se omoguće stranom državljaninu da reguliše svoj boravišni i radni status iz matične države pre dolaska u Republiku Srbiju, što će naročito pogodovati domaćim poslodavcima koje strane državljane angažuju za rad na kraćim projektima do 180 dana.

Kako sa jedne strane predlozi zakona o izmenama i dopunama uvode značajnu liberalizaciju pravila za dobijanje privremenog boravka i radne dozvole, sa druge strane se javlja potreba da se određene odredbe zakona pooštre, a kako bi se sprečile nezakonite migracije i zloupotrebe povoljnijeg režima koji bi predlog zakona o izmenama i dopunama Zakona o strancima trebao da uvede.

Na transparentan način propisane su obaveze koje pozivar treba da ima u vidu kada poziva strane državljane u Republiku Srbiju. Dodatno, u slučaju da, nakon izdavanja vize dođe do nezakonite migracije, propisan je način na koji se troškovi smeštaja u prihvatilište za strance i troškovi vraćanja stranca u zemlju porekla naplaćuju od stranca, ukoliko ima novčanih sredstava, odnosno od pozivara na osnovu čijeg pozivnog pisma je stranac došao u Republiku Srbiju. U tom smislu, propisan je i pravni osnov za donošenje propisa kojim se uređuju bliži uslovi i način izračunavanja troškova prinudnog udaljenja stranca.

V. Pooštrene obaveze pozivara, postupak prinudnog iseljenja i novčanih kazni za prekršajne

Na kraju kako bi se obezbedlila bolja usklađenost stranih državljana i domaćih poslodavaca sa propisima, značajno su povećani iznosi zaprećenih novačnih kazni za prekršaje u slučaju da se prekrše određene odredbe zakona o izmenma i dopunama Zakona o strancima i Zakona o zapošljavanju stranaca. 

Ako imate bilo kakva pitanja u vezi sa ovom temom, budite slobodni da kontaktirate advokata Anu Popović: ana.popovic@zslaw.rs, advokata Danku Draško: danka.drasko@zslaw.rs, advokata Marka Lekovića: marko.lekovic@zslaw.rs ili Vašu redovnu kontakt osobu u advokatskoj kancelariji Živković Samardžić.