Changing Employers in Bosnia and Herzegovina on a Work Permit

Changing employers in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina, BiH) on a work permit means starting a new work permit process. A BiH work permit (radna dozvola) is issued to the employer for a specific job, cannot be transferred to another employer, and ends when the employment contract ends — at which point the employment service informs the Service for Foreigners' Affairs (Služba za poslove sa strancima) the same working day. Your new employer must therefore apply for a new permit, usually within the annual quota and after a labour market check, before you can start. This EU Helpers guide explains the process step by step — international candidates can explore opportunities in Bosnia and Herzegovina through EU Helpers. Bosnia and Herzegovina is NOT an EU member (it has been an EU candidate country since December 2022, and the European Council agreed in March 2024 to open accession negotiations), NOT a Schengen member (its citizens have had visa-free short-stay Schengen travel since December 2010), NOT a eurozone member (it uses the convertible mark, BAM, pegged to the euro), NOT a NATO member (it is a NATO partner), and has been a Council of Europe member since 2002.

Essential Context: How BiH Work Permits Are Tied to Employers

In BiH, the work permit belongs to the job, not to you.

When You Can Change Employers in BiH

• Voluntary move — secure the new offer and make sure the new employer's work permit is approved before you leave your current job.
• Dismissal or redundancy — your work permit ends with the contract, and your residence may be affected; get advice immediately and look for a new employer who can apply quickly.
• Employer closes — the permit ends when the business ends; a new employer must apply for a new permit.
• Permanent residents — they have the same work rights as citizens and can change jobs freely.

The Step-by-Step Process

1. Secure a written offer from a registered employer in BiH.
2. The new employer applies for a new work permit to the employment service where it is based — which may be in a different entity from your current employer.
3. The employment service checks the labour market and, unless the job is exempt, allocates a place within the annual quota.
4. Once the new work permit is issued, apply to the Service for Foreigners' Affairs for temporary residence based on the new permit.
5. Resign from your current job with the correct notice, timed so that your new permits are in place.
6. Start the new job only once the new work permit and residence are approved.

Documentation You Will Need

Timing: How Long the Switch Takes

Because your current permit ends with your contract, avoid any gap: do not resign until the new employer's application is well advanced.

Rules on Notice, Probation and Severance

• Labour law by entity — the Federation of BiH, Republika Srpska and Brčko District each have their own labour law, so notice, probation and severance rules differ.
• Notice — check your contract and the applicable labour law for the notice period you must give when resigning.
• Fixed-term contracts — because your contract is tied to the work permit's validity, it is usually fixed-term; ending it early may need agreement with your employer.
• Final pay — make sure salary, unused holiday and contributions are settled when you leave.

Salary and Benefits When Switching

Compare gross and net pay, meal and transport allowances, and contributions paid by the employer. Make sure the new employer is financially sound and pays taxes and contributions on time, as this affects future work permit renewals. If you sponsor family members, check that your new income still supports the family under the family reunification rules.

Risks and Common Mistakes

• Starting before the new permit is issued — working without a valid work permit is illegal for both you and the employer.
• Resigning too early — your permit ends with your contract, which can put your residence at risk.
• Assuming the permit transfers — it does not; a new permit is always required.
• Ignoring the quota — if the quota for the relevant area is exhausted, the new permit may be delayed.
• Not updating your residence — your temporary residence must be based on the new work permit.
• Forgetting family members — their permits depend on yours.

Special Cases

• Exempt categories — some founders, professors, artists and spouses of BiH citizens can work without a work permit, but still need temporary residence on the right basis.
• Moving between entities — a new employer in Republika Srpska or Brčko District applies under its own employment service rules.
• Blue card holders — holders of BiH's national blue card should check the specific rules for their permit.
• Permanent residents — they can change employers freely without a work permit.

Final Guidance

Changing employers in Bosnia and Herzegovina on a work permit always means a new work permit: your current permit is tied to your employer and job, cannot be transferred and ends with your contract. Secure the new offer, let the new employer apply to its employment service — within the quota and after a labour market check — then base your temporary residence on the new permit before you start. Check your notice under your entity's labour law, avoid any gap between permits and keep family members' permits in line with yours. Always confirm current rules with the employment service and the Service for Foreigners' Affairs before resigning. International candidates can explore opportunities in Bosnia and Herzegovina through EU Helpers. EU Helpers supports foreign workers with offer reviews, new work permit applications, residence updates, timing and documents.