The National Employment Service (NES) has issued a public call, offering employers in the private sector significant financial support for hiring individuals who find it more difficult to secure employment. These are one-off subsidies intended for those registered as unemployed who belong to particularly vulnerable groups in the labour market.
The focus of this measure includes young people without parental care, individuals without a completed high school education, those over the age of 50, members of the Roma community, persons with disabilities, as well as recipients of social welfare assistance.
It also covers those who have been seeking employment for more than a year, especially those unemployed for over two years, as well as victims of domestic violence. Priority in joining the programme is given to women, particularly those from less developed and devastated areas.
Before a person is included in the programme, the NES verifies whether they meet all legally prescribed conditions. The final selection of candidates is made by service advisers based on an individual assessment.
The amount of the subsidy directly depends on the level of development of the local authority where the person will be employed. Employers in the most developed areas can receive 230,000 dinars per employee, or 276,000 dinars for persons with disabilities and those registered as unemployed for more than 24 months.
In less developed areas, the amounts increase to 255,000, or 306,000 dinars in the third group of local authorities, while in the least developed and devastated areas the subsidy reaches 280,000, or 336,000 dinars per person.
In addition to financial support, the National Employment Service may also provide additional individualised assistance to employees, including monitoring and support during their integration into the working environment. The allocated funds are treated as so-called de minimis state aid, meaning they are subject to the limits prescribed for this type of support.
Only employers from the private sector are eligible for the subsidy, whether registered as sole traders or legal entities with 100 percent private capital. The conditions are that they have been operating continuously for at least three months, regularly pay taxes and contributions, and have not been subject to account blockage for more than 30 days in the past six months. They must also have at least one employee and have settled all obligations from previous programmes.
Employers who have reduced their number of employees in the previous three months (except in cases of retirement, death, or resignation by the employee) are not eligible, nor are those who have already used funds for the same individuals in the past three years. Also excluded are employers engaged in activities not covered by the programme, as well as those who would assign workers to other companies or employ their own founders and directors.
Applications for the subsidy are submitted to the relevant organisational unit of the NES, along with a mandatory business plan and supporting documentation. Applications may be submitted in person, by post, or electronically, using the prescribed form.
After a decision is made, the National Employment Service and the employer conclude a contract within 45 days, defining all rights and obligations. Funds are disbursed only after the contract is signed, and one of the key conditions is that employment must be established on a permanent basis, with full-time working hours.
Employers are also required to provide appropriate security instruments – for smaller amounts, these are promissory notes with guarantors, while for larger amounts a bank guarantee with a validity period of 18 months is required. Guarantors may be employed individuals, entrepreneurs, or pensioners.
The contract also stipulates the obligations of subsidy beneficiaries. Employed persons must remain in employment for at least 12 months, with regular payment of taxes and contributions. If the employment relationship is terminated, the employer is obliged to hire another person from the same category within 30 days, under the same conditions.
There is also the possibility of replacement with a person from a category eligible for a higher subsidy, but without entitlement to additional funds.
(Biznis.rs, 25.03.2026)
https://biznis.rs/vesti/srbija/subvencije-do-336-000-dinara-po-radniku-iz-teze-zaposljivih-grupa/