Talent Wiki - Serbia
Your quick guide on talent and labor compliance norms in Serbia
Capital
Belgrade
Currency
Serbian dinar (RSD)
Languages
Serbian
Payroll Frequency
Monthly
GDP per Capita
$10,075.08
Employer Tax
16.15%
Talent Overview
Serbia’s economy relies heavily on the service sector. It has accounted for 51.5% of the country’s GDP and has provided jobs for 57% of their workforce in 2021. Tourism is seen as the main driver for the service sector. Moreover, the IT industry in Serbia has been drastically growing and has made up 6.9% of the country’s GDP.
Major economic hubs:
Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš
Skills in demand:
Computer Science and IT jobs, (Java and JavaScript developer, Net developer, and PHP developer) Sales, and Engineering
Local Universities
The top local universities in Serbia are as follows:
Univerzitet u Beogradu
RANKING
Local: 1
World : 519
Univerzitet u Novom Sadu
RANKING
Local: 2
World : 1182
Univerzitet u Nišu
RANKING
Local: 3
World : 1954
Univerzitet u Kragujevcu
RANKING
Local: 4
World : 3100
Universiteti i Prishtinës
RANKING
Local: 5
World : 4749
Salary Data
The below table mentions some common jobs in Serbia with average monthly Salary;
| Job Title | Average Monthly Salary (RSD) | Average Monthly Salary (in USD) |
| Account Manager | 149,000 | 1,363.78 |
| Software Engineer | 128,000 | 1171.57 |
| Data Analyst | 123,000 | 1,125.81 |
| Graphic Designer | 81,600 | 746.88 |
| Project Manager | 145,000 | 1,327.17 |
| Sales Manager | 237,000 | 2,169.24 |
Talent Sourcing Tips
Top Local Job Boards:
Poslovi Infostud, Poslovi.rs, Lako do posla
Number of LinkedIn users:
1,145,000
Top Recruitment Agencies:
Employing in Serbia
Every employee in Serbia is protected by the country’s labor laws and regulation. Employers must have a thorough understanding with these rules for the benefit of their Serbian constituents. Below are some basic information you need to know when onboarding workers from the country.
Employee Contract
Employment contracts in Serbia must strictly be in writing. It must be written in a language that all parties understand. However, it has been a common practice to draw contracts in the Serbian language.
Probation Period
The Probation period in Serbia is 6 months.
Public and Provincial Holidays 2023
| Date | Holiday | Type |
| 1 Jan | New Year’s Day | National Holiday |
| 2 Jan | New Year Holiday | National Holiday |
| 3 Jan | New Year Holiday | National Holiday |
| 7 Jan | Orthodox Christmas Day | National Holiday |
| 15 Feb | National Day | National Holiday |
| 16 Feb | National Day Holiday | National Holiday |
| 14 Apr | Orthodox Good Friday | National Holiday |
| 17 Apr | Orthodox Easter Monday | National Holiday |
| 1 May | May Day | National Holiday |
| 2 May | May Day Holiday | National Holiday |
| 11 Nov | Armistice Day | National Holiday |
Employee Leaves
| Type of Leave | Time Period | Mandatory |
| Annual Leave | 20 days | Yes |
| Sick Leave | 30 days | Yes |
| Maternity Leave | 365 days | Yes |
Payroll
Payroll Cycle
Payroll in Serbia is paid once every month.
Minimum Wage
The minimum wage in Serbia varies depending on the employees’ working hours, as stated below:
Overtime Pay
Employees in Serbia are entitled to a pay for every extra hour they have rendered. The additional pay rate must not be below 26% of their hourly rate.
Bonus
13th Month Pay
Serbian employers are not required to provide a 13th month pay for their employees. They may, however, do so at their own discretion.
Employee Benefits
Serbian employees are entitled to varying benefits upon employment. Below are some of them:
- Statutory Leaves
- Social Security benefits
- Unemployment insurance
- Pension and Retirement
- Disability Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Unemployment Insurance
Taxes
Employer Payroll Tax
| Type of Contribution | Tax rate |
| Pension and disability insurance | 11% |
| Health Insurance | 5.15% |
Employee Payroll Tax
| Type of Contribution | Tax rate |
| Pension and disability insurance | 14% |
| Health Insurance | 5.15% |
| Unemployment Insurance | 0.75% |
Employee Income Tax
| Income Level | Tax rate |
| 3x to 6x the average annual salary | 10% |
| 6x the average annual salary and more | 15% |
VAT
The standard VAT rate in Serbia is 20%
Offboarding & Termination
Termination of employment in Serbia may occur in the following scenarios:
- Contract reaches its expiration;
- Employees reach the age of 65 and have rendered the required minimum 15 years of retirement insurance.
- Employer and employee mutual agreement
- Employment contract has been terminated by either party
- Death of the employee
An employee’s notice period is generally 15 days. But for employees under probation period, a 14-day notice period is observed
Severance pay in Serbia is as follows:
| Years of Service | Severance Pay Calculation |
| 10 years | ⅓ of employees’ average salary x years of service |
| 10 years and above | ¼ of employees’ average salary x years of service |
Visa and Immigration
Foreign employees in Serbia must secure a work permit to work in the country. The Validity of these documents can be from 3 to 12 months and may be renewed upon expiration. Additionally, they must also apply for a residence permit to legally stay in Serbia for employment purposes.
