Both on the basis of work and on the basis of study, Turkish citizens were the most numerous foreign citizens in Macedonia for 2022, according to the data obtained by Skopje.IN.
The previous year, as of December 16, the largest number of issued work permits for foreigners in Macedonia were issued to citizens from Turkey. The total number of issued work permits is 4.344, Employment Service Agency (AV) tells Skopje.IN.
Turkey is followed by neighboring countries such as Kosovo, Albania, and Serbia, and most often work permits are issued for activities such as construction or catering.
“A total of 4.970 requests were submitted, and it is an upward trend for each subsequent year compared to the previous one”, the Employment Service Agency explains.
In the meantime, 289 requests for work permits or opinions on the employment of foreigners were rejected, and the most common reason is inadequate or incomplete documentation provided for by law, AV adds.
Additionally, one of the reasons is the existence of a labor force that is registered in the unemployment register and has the necessary qualifications for the job for which the foreigner requires a permit, that is, the need for employment can be met through the domestic labor market.
Meanwhile, the largest number of foreigners with temporary residence on the basis of study or schooling comes from Turkey, Kosovo, Pakistan, and Serbia, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVR).
“During 2022, a total of 1.130 permits were issued for temporary residence on the basis of study or schooling. The largest number of permits were issued for study, including for postgraduate studies - 1.119, and for schooling - primary and secondary education, 11 residence permits have been issued”, MVR tells Skopje.IN.
Last year, the Ministry acted on 1.137 requests, and 7 decisions were made to reject the request for temporary residence for study.
“In relation to 2021, there is a decreasing trend, that is, the number of submitted applications and issued permits is lower than in 2021 - 1.372, and 2020 - 1.629”, they point out.