Serbia
Republic of Serbia · Capital: Belgrade
A non-EU Balkan country with a fast-growing IT sector, very low costs and easy entry for many nationalities, increasingly popular with founders and remote workers.
Migration statistics
Who is arriving
Top source countries and the make-up of recent arrivals into Serbia.
Policy overview
2 visa routes into Serbia
Eligibility, fees, processing times and whether each route leads to permanent residence.
RS-WRP
Combined residence-and-work permit, simplified in recent reforms.
Eligibility
- Job offer or registered business
- Accommodation
Document checklist (9 items)
Core
Professional
Background
Freelancer / Business Residence
EntrepreneurRS-FR
Residence for self-employed remote workers and founders.
Eligibility
- Registered activity
- Income
Document checklist (9 items)
Core
Professional
Financial
Background
Economic context
The numbers behind the move
Pay reflects the local market in Serbia, what you'd typically earn there, not your current salary.
Skill shortages
Sectors actively recruiting from abroad
Where Serbia needs foreign talent most, and what those roles pay.
IT & outsourcing
A large, fast-growing software-export sector centred on Belgrade and Novi Sad.
Manufacturing
Automotive and electronics FDI supports industrial jobs.
Recent changes
What's changed lately
Recent policy changes that affect migrants, newest first.
No policy changes recorded in the last 90 days. The intelligence agent is monitoring.
Quality of life
What living there feels like
Belgrade
Capital & nightlifeA buzzing, affordable capital with legendary nightlife and a booming tech scene.
- Cost index
- 50
- 1-bed rent
- $600
- Quality
- 72
Novi Sad
Relaxed second cityA laid-back university and festival city on the Danube.
- Cost index
- 46
- 1-bed rent
- $500
- Quality
- 74
Niš
Budget southAn affordable southern hub with a growing IT presence.
- Cost index
- 40
- 1-bed rent
- $380
- Quality
- 70
Safety & climate
The reception you can expect
How welcoming the public and political mood is, how safe it is, and how geopolitically stable the country is right now.
Anti-migrant sentiment
trendHospitable and cheap, a magnet for relocating tech workers; EU-accession and regional politics ongoing.
Higher = more hostile public/political climate.
Geopolitical stability
A composite of governance, security and regional-risk signals. Higher means a more predictable environment for settling long term.
Higher = more stable.
Safety
Belgrade is generally safe; usual big-city caution at night.
Higher = safer (crime index 36/100).
Where to live
Which Serbia city fits you?
Cities matched to who you are, career, family, retirement, study or remote work. We flag the ones to consider and the ones to approach with care.
Belgrade
Energetic & gritty
A buzzing, affordable capital with legendary nightlife and a booming tech scene.
Novi Sad
Cultured & calm
A laid-back university and festival city on the Danube.
Niš
Historic & cheap
An affordable southern hub with a growing IT presence.
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Immigration solicitors for Serbia
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