Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is witnessing a marked increase in foreign workers, with Turkey emerging as the largest source of labour.
Last year, 605 Turkish nationals filled positions, followed by 509 from Nepal and 346 from India. The total annual quota for new work permits in BiH has surged to 7,229 for 2025—an impressive 19% rise from the previous year.
The Federation of BiH (FBiH) received the lion’s share of new permits, while the Republic of Srpska (RS) saw a significant increase of 43%.
The majority of permits were issued for construction (1,071), followed by services (475) and manufacturing (354), reflecting the country’s reliance on foreign manpower for infrastructure and industry.
Interestingly, the Brčko District saw the most significant jump in quotas, with a 96% increase in new permits.
These shifts highlight BiH’s growing integration into global labour markets as it faces both economic challenges and opportunities in the coming years.
