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SARAJEVO: Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has cracked down on visa abuse by foreign workers, revoking the work permits of 39 Pakistani nationals who exploited their visas to travel to Croatia and other European Union(EU) countries.
The Service for Foreigners’ Affairs (SFA) is taking a firm stance against those misusing their work visas for illegal transit, with 14 Bangladeshi nationals currently under investigation.
As BiH seeks to address labor shortages by attracting skilled workers from abroad, authorities are emphasizing the importance of proper visa use.
Moreover, foreigners must enter BiH on valid visas and obtain work permits through the Employment Service offices, with employers required to apply on their behalf. Permits are valid for one year and can be extended.
Despite efforts to attract foreign workers, some migrants have used their visas to travel further into the EU. In the first half of 2023, BiH issued 3,230 work permits, with the UNIDAD Employment Agency reporting approximately 3,500 permits granted in the first 11 months of 2023.
The number of foreign workers in BiH has doubled since 2020, with the most severe labor shortages in manufacturing, catering, and construction.
DAILY AUSAF