Hiring a foreign national in North Macedonia places a clear compliance burden on you as the employer. North Macedonia hasn’t joined the EU, so there’s no free movement framework to fall back on. Every non-citizen worker needs a valid work permit before they can legally start employment, and the process runs through you, not the employee. This guide covers what you’re required to do, how long it takes, and what you need to have in place to stay compliant throughout the employment.
Work authorisation in north macedonia: an employer overview
North Macedonia holds EU candidate status, but that doesn’t affect the work authorisation rules for foreign nationals. Citizens from outside North Macedonia need a Unified Permit for Employment to work legally in the country. There’s no general visa waiver or free movement arrangement that bypasses this requirement.
As the hiring employer, you initiate and support the application. Foreign workers can’t apply independently. You’ll need to be a registered legal entity in North Macedonia, and you’ll need to have your compliance documentation in order before you submit anything. All official documents must use the country’s full name: Republic of North Macedonia.
The unified permit for employment
The Unified Permit for Employment is the main work authorisation route for foreign nationals in North Macedonia. It combines the work permit and residence authorisation into a single application, handled through the Employment Service Agency.
What you need to submit
As the sponsoring employer, your application package must include:
- A Central Registry certificate confirming your company’s registration
- A signed employment contract for the worker you intend to hire
- A written justification explaining why you need to hire a foreign national for this specific role
- Proof of current tax compliance
The justification requirement means you need to be prepared to explain the hire. Authorities may assess whether the role could have been filled locally, so being specific about the skills or experience involved helps.
Processing time
The Employment Service Agency typically processes applications in 4–6 weeks. The full process from initial application to the worker being ready to start, including the visa step, takes approximately 45 days. Build that lead time into your hiring plans.
Permit validity
Work permits are issued for 1 year and are renewable. You’ll need to manage renewals before the expiry date if the employment relationship continues beyond the initial permit period.
The application process step by step
Once you’ve gathered your documentation, the sequence runs as follows.
First, you submit the employer application to the Employment Service Agency and wait for approval. Once the work permit is approved, the employee applies for a Type D visa at the North Macedonian embassy or consulate in their home country. The visa fee is approximately €70.
The Type D visa allows the worker to travel to North Macedonia to take up employment. It’s not the final step on the authorisation side.
After arrival: the residence permit
Within 5 days of arriving in North Macedonia, the worker must apply for a Temporary Residence Permit at the Ministry of Interior. The fee for the residence permit is approximately €90.
This step is time-sensitive. Missing the 5-day window creates a compliance gap, so it’s worth making sure the employee knows what they need to do and when before they travel. The work permit and residence permit together constitute the complete authorisation package that allows legal employment to continue.
Employer obligations during and after employment
Your responsibilities don’t end once the permit is issued. North Macedonian law places ongoing obligations on employers throughout the employment relationship and beyond.
Keeping permits current
Work permits and residence permits must remain valid throughout the employment relationship. If either document lapses during employment, you’re exposed to compliance risk. Track expiry dates as part of your HR process and initiate renewals in good time.
When employment ends
If a foreign national’s employment ends before their work permit or residence permit expires, you’re required to notify the relevant authorities. This obligation applies regardless of the reason the employment ended: resignation, redundancy, or any other cause. Build this notification step into your offboarding checklist so it doesn’t get missed.
Contract and document requirements
All employment contracts must be in Macedonian. Bilingual versions are acceptable, but the Macedonian text must be included. All documents submitted as part of a permit application or compliance process must use the country’s official name: Republic of North Macedonia. Documents using previous or unofficial names are considered invalid.
How an EOR supports international hiring in north macedonia
Managing work permit applications in North Macedonia requires a registered local entity, documentation in Macedonian, and an active relationship with the Employment Service Agency and Ministry of Interior. If you’re hiring your first employee in the country, building that infrastructure from scratch takes time and specialist knowledge you may not have in-house.
An Employer of Record (EOR) provides the legal entity you need to sponsor work permits, manages the application process, and takes on the ongoing compliance obligations: tracking permit expiry dates, handling renewals, and notifying authorities when employment ends. An EOR also handles employment contracts in Macedonian and ensures payroll and social contribution compliance runs in parallel with immigration compliance. For companies scaling into North Macedonia without a local entity, this removes the need to set one up before you’re ready.
If you’re expanding into North Macedonia and want to make sure your work authorisation process is handled correctly from day one, take a look at EOR services to understand what’s available.
To see how RemotePass handles work authorisation and employment compliance in North Macedonia, book a demo at https://www.remotepass.com/request-demo.
