Skopje, 15 May 2025 (MIA) – Our country considers migrants not only a workforce but as someone carrying knowledge, experience, cultural exchange and economic potential. Regulated inclusion of foreign workers contributes to raising productivity, developing labour-intensive industries and stabilising employment, Minister of Economy and Labour Besar Durmishi said speaking at a regional conference on labour migration in Budva, organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and its partner institutions in the region.

Durmishi addressed a panel alongside his counterparts from the region in which regional perspectives on workforce migration in the Western Balkans were discussed, the Ministry of Economy and Labour said Thursday. 

“For labour migration to be successful, it has to feature social and integration policies. It means protection of workers’ rights, fight against discrimination, respect of cultural differences and securing equal access to information and institutions,” said Minister Durmishi. 

According to the law on employing foreigners, he said, North Macedonia provides stable and clear legal mechanism allowing foreign workers to participate in the country’s economy, always in line with the domestic needs and standards. According to him, the law establishes an annual quota of work permits that shouldn’t exceed 5 percent of the total employed population of the country. 

“For 2025, the government of the Republic of North Macedonia established a quota of 10,000 work permits for foreigners. This figure comes as a result of a careful analysis of the situation on the labour market and the need for a workforce in various sectors,” said Durmishi stressing the system is precise, transparent respecting the domestic workforce all the while leaving room for filling in the deficit for qualified foreign workers. 

According to the Minister, the government aims at creating an atmosphere in which everyone who lives and works legally in our country will feel safe, respected and supported, said the press release. 

“Labour migration represents an opportunity for economic growth for every country – but only if it is managed wisely, with respect for human rights, with a vision for the future and with a willingness to cooperate. Our goal is clear – to build a society in which labour migration will stimulate growth, connect people and create a shared future of stability, development and dignity. Our country remains open to cooperation with the countries of the Western Balkans and beyond. We believe that through joint planning and aligning of regulations, we can enable circulation of skills, support innovation and reduce informal economy,” concluded Minister Durmishi. 

Photo: Ministry of Economy and Labour