Work inSerbia
A job secured before you travel, a single permit for residence and work that you apply for fully online, and a fast turnaround. Guided from Nigeria.
More than a job. A future in Serbia.
This is one of the quickest, most modern routes into Europe. Serbia combines residence and work into a single permit, applied for online, and decided fast.
A job that is waiting
We secure a confirmed offer with a verified Serbian employer before you travel, so you arrive with work, not a search.
A modern, online process
Serbia moved its system online. The single permit is applied for entirely on the government portal, with only your biometrics done in person.
A fast turnaround
The single permit is decided within 15 days of a complete file. The whole journey is often just weeks, not many months.
Working in Serbia from Nigeria, explained.
Serbia has quietly built one of the most modern, fastest work routes in Europe. Through Mafit you are matched to a verified Serbian employer, with your job secured before you travel, and guided through a single permit you apply for online.
The single permit
Since reforms that took full effect in 2024, foreign workers use the single permit (jedinstvena dozvola), one biometric card that combines your temporary residence and your right to work. No more juggling separate documents.
Applied for online
The single permit is submitted exclusively online through Serbia's official Foreign Nationals' Portal, Welcome to Serbia. Your employer can even file on your behalf, and the only in-person step is giving your biometrics after approval.
A fast turnaround
This is the part Serbia is known for. By law, a complete single permit application is decided within 15 days. The whole journey, including your employer's labour-market step and your biometrics, is typically a matter of weeks, and the permit can be issued for up to three years at a time.
Where Serbia sits
Serbia is in the heart of southeast Europe and is an official candidate for EU membership, though it is not yet in the EU or the Schengen area, so this permit is for living and working in Serbia itself. The trade-off is a faster, simpler process and a lower cost of living than much of Western Europe.
From a permit to permanent residence
The single permit is renewable, and after about three years of continuous residence you can apply for permanent residence, with citizenship a longer path. Once you are settled, family reunification lets your spouse and children join you.
This is legal, contract-based work handled by an openly operating Nigerian team you can check out for yourself. We charge a professional service fee for our work, never for a job, and the final decision always rests with the Serbian authorities.
What this route gives you.
Forget vague promises. This is a concrete, modern path: a job, one online permit, and a fast, clear decision.
A secured Serbian job
A confirmed placement with a verified Serbian employer, arranged before you leave Nigeria.
One single permit
Residence and the right to work in one biometric card, no juggling separate documents.
A fully online application
Submitted on Serbia's official portal. The only in-person step is your biometrics, after approval.
A fast decision
By law a complete application is decided within 15 days. Weeks, not many months.
Valid up to 3 years
Since the 2024 reforms the permit can be issued for up to three years at a time, and it is renewable.
A path to permanent residence
Continuous residence leads to permanent residence after about three years, and a settled future.
Why Nigerians choose Serbia.
Serbia rewards people who want to move fast. A modern, online process, a lower barrier than the West, and a growing economy that is hiring.
Seriously fast
From a complete file to a decision in as little as 15 days. Few European routes move at this speed.
A modern, online system
No queues at a police station. The application is digital, and your employer can even file it for you.
A lower barrier to entry
Serbia is more open than much of Western Europe, a workable route for many who would wait years elsewhere.
A growing economy
Belgrade and Novi Sad are booming, with construction, industry and a fast-rising tech scene all hiring.
English-friendly sectors
IT, international firms and hospitality often work in English, so you can start while you learn Serbian.
Affordable and central
A lower cost of living than Western Europe, in the heart of the continent, with a path to settling.
Track your application.
Serbia's process is modern and mostly online. Tap through the stages to see how fast and simple it really is.
Apply online
We create your account and start the single permit application on Serbia's Welcome to Serbia portal. The process is fully digital from the very first click.
Labour-market check
Your Serbian employer files the required labour-market step with the National Employment Service, which clears the way for your permit. We coordinate it with them.
Documents and payment
We complete your file, upload your documents, translated and apostilled where needed, and the fees are paid online through the portal.
Decision within 15 days
By law a complete single permit application is decided within 15 days. This is the fast part Serbia is known for, and we keep your file complete so nothing slows it.
Give your biometrics
You attend in person once to give your fingerprints and photo, the only in-person step, and your biometric permit card is produced.
Start work
You collect your single permit and begin the job that was secured for you, legally living and working in Serbia.
Timings vary with your file and the employer's step, but the single permit decision itself is set in law at 15 days. The final decision rests with the Serbian authorities.
Where will you live?
Serbia is warm, social and surprisingly affordable. Tap through the main cities and see what life and work are like in each.
Belgrade
Serbia's big, lively capital where the Sava meets the Danube. The largest job market by far, strong in services, construction and industry with a fast-growing tech scene, and famous for its energy and nightlife.
Novi Sad
A relaxed, cultured city on the Danube, Serbia's second largest, with a booming IT sector, universities and a famous summer festival. Calmer and a little cheaper than Belgrade.
Nis
An ancient, friendly city in the south, a long-standing transport and industrial hub with a warm pace of life and a notably low cost of living.
Subotica
A handsome town near the Hungarian border with beautiful architecture, strong in agriculture, food processing and manufacturing.
Wherever you are placed, Serbia is among the more affordable countries in Europe, so your earnings tend to stretch further. We will be straight with you about what to expect.
Where the work is.
Serbia's growing economy hires from abroad across many fields. Tap through the sectors with the strongest demand. We match you to a verified role that fits you.
Construction & trades
Serbia is building fast, and skilled and general construction workers are among the most consistently sought from abroad.
Manufacturing & industry
A strong industrial base, including the auto and electronics supply chains, hires production and operations workers steadily.
IT & technology
Serbia has one of the region's fastest-growing tech scenes, in Belgrade and Novi Sad, much of it working in English.
Hospitality & tourism
Hotels, restaurants and cafes across the cities and along the Danube hire year-round in a country that loves to host.
Transport & logistics
Sitting at the crossroads of the Balkans, Serbia has steady demand in driving, warehousing and distribution.
Agriculture & food
The fertile plains of the north drive farming and food processing, with seasonal and year-round roles.
Demand shifts over time and we never list specific vacancies here. We confirm the exact verified role, employer and location with you before you commit.
The single permit, in detail.
If you like to understand the full picture before you commit, here is how Serbia's single permit, the online portal and the fast turnaround actually work.
What the single permit is
Serbia's single permit (jedinstvena dozvola) combines your temporary residence and your right to work into one biometric card. Since reforms that took full effect in 2024, it is the standard route for foreign workers, replacing the old split documents.
Applied for online
The application is submitted exclusively online through Serbia's official Foreign Nationals' Portal, Welcome to Serbia. You can file it yourself or your employer can file on your behalf, and the only step that happens in person is giving your biometrics after approval.
- One biometric card
- Applied for online
- Issued for up to three years
- Renewable, tied to your work
- No longer tied to one job
- Indefinite, stable status
- A step toward citizenship
- For those who settle
The 15-day rule and validity
By law a complete single permit application is decided within 15 days. The permit can be issued for up to three years at a time and is renewable, which is a big change from the old one-year limit.
The labour-market step
Before the permit, your employer files a labour-market check with the National Employment Service. It is a standard part of the process, and the employer handles it with our guidance and coordination.
Where Serbia sits
Serbia is in southeast Europe and is an official candidate for EU membership, with accession talks ongoing, but it is not yet in the EU or the Schengen area. This permit is for living and working in Serbia, and the trade-off for that is a faster, simpler process and a lower cost of living.
Settling: PR and citizenship
The permit is renewable, and after about three years of continuous residence you can apply for permanent residence, with citizenship a longer path. Family reunification lets your spouse and children join you.
This is a general guide, not legal advice. Rules can change and every case is different, which is why we keep your file current and guide you at each step. The final decision rests with the Serbian authorities.
Serbia vs other routes.
Mafit runs legal work routes across Europe. Serbia is the fastest and most modern of them. Here is who it fits, so you can choose with open eyes.
You want speed and simplicity
You want a fast, online, low-fuss route into Europe, with a job waiting and a permit decided in 15 days. For speed, Serbia is hard to beat.
Be clear on this
Serbia is an EU candidate but not yet in the EU or Schengen. If EU access today is essential, we will be honest and show you EU routes too.
Broad demand
Serbia hires across construction, industry, IT, hospitality and more. Whatever your background, there is likely a fit for you.
The rules never change
We secure the placement first, keep everything legal and documented, and never sell jobs. The decision rests with the Serbian authorities.
Requirements and demand differ between countries and change over time. We give you a straight comparison for your profile and never push you toward a route that does not fit.
Your path to Serbia.
A guided, step-by-step process, most of it online. Here is exactly how you go from where you are now in Nigeria to your first day at work in Serbia.
Check your eligibility
We confirm your background fits the Serbia work route and gather your documents.
Secure your placement
We arrange a job offer with a verified Serbian employer suited to your profile, and the contract is agreed.
Labour-market check
Your employer files the labour-market step with the National Employment Service, which we coordinate.
Submit the single permit
We complete and submit your single permit application on the Welcome to Serbia portal, with documents and fees online.
Decision in 15 days
A complete application is decided within 15 days by law. We keep your file complete so nothing slows it down.
Biometrics and start
You travel, give your biometrics, collect your permit, and start the job that is waiting for you.
The single permit decision is set in law at 15 days for a complete file, and the whole journey is typically a matter of weeks. The final decision rests with the Serbian authorities.
Let's start with these.
These are the starting documents we use to begin building your Serbia file. As your case develops we may ask for more, so treat this as a starting point and not a finished list.
International passport
Valid, with enough remaining validity for your permit and stay.
An up-to-date CV
A clear CV setting out your skills and work history.
Proof of qualifications
Certificates or training relevant to the work you are seeking.
Proof of experience
Evidence of relevant work experience where you have it.
Passport photographs
Recent passport-style photographs for your file.
Police character certificate
A clean criminal record check from Nigeria.
Certified Serbian translations
Your documents translated by an accredited translator, which we arrange.
Apostille, where required
Authentication of official documents, which we guide you through.
This is a starting point, not a complete list. We arrange the certified translation and any apostille your documents need, and we may request more as your application progresses.
Questions, answered.
Can a Nigerian work in Serbia?
What is the single permit?
Is the application really online?
How fast is the process?
How long is the permit valid?
Do I need a job before I apply?
Is Serbia in the EU?
Who decides the permit?
Do I need to speak Serbian?
What jobs are available in Serbia?
Which cities have the most work?
Can I get permanent residence in Serbia?
Can I become a Serbian citizen?
Can I bring my family to Serbia?
What documents do I need to get started?
What is the labour-market step?
Is this legal?
Do you guarantee the job and the permit?
How do I start working in Serbia from Nigeria?
Start your move to Serbia.
Tell us about your background and the work you are looking for, and we will check your eligibility for the Serbia route, then begin securing your placement and your online application. We reply within one working day.
- A job secured before you fly
- A single permit applied for online
- A fast turnaround, decided in about 15 days