Open a Recruitment Company in Montenegro

An important part of the procedure of starting a business is hiring workers to complete the company’s activities. From this point of view, Montenegro is a small country and even if it has a competent workforce, the labor market is still in need of more personnel. With the labor force being such a valuable asset, setting up a recruitment agency in Montenegro can be a very good idea.

A permit from the ministry responsible for labour (and, for temporary-work agencies, entry in its register) is required when opening a staffing company, however, the business owners will need to respect the provisions of the Company Act and the Employment Law. Our law firm in Montenegro can help foreign investors who want to start staffing agencies in this country. As a foreign entrepreneur, you can rely on us for various legal services related to the registration of a company in Montenegro.

Choosing a legal entity for an employment company in Montenegro

One of the first and most important steps when opening a recruitment business in Montenegro is selecting the legal entity under which the business will operate. Both local and foreign entrepreneurs benefit from the same conditions when registering a company in this country, however, foreigners do not need a residence permit to incorporate a company (only to live and work here).

Back to the type of structure that can be used for opening a recruitment agency, one can select the sole proprietorship if the businessman intends to work independently or cooperate with other agencies, the partnership is a good idea for foreign entrepreneurs who can have a local partner or the private limited liability company which is most of the time the best option thanks to the high degree of independence of the owner for the business’ debts.

No matter the type of structure chosen, foreign citizens seeking to create employment agencies in this country can rely on our lawyers in Montenegro for assistance with the preparation and filing of the documents with the Trade Register, but also in applying for a work or residence permit.

Obligations of employment agencies in Montenegro

Setting up a staffing company comes with the same regulations as for many other businesses, in addition to the permit required from the labour ministry. Among them, we mention the following:

the company must register for taxes;
it must register for VAT once turnover exceeds EUR 30,000 in 12 months;
it must have a local head office;
enroll its employees in social security.

Apart from these obligations, there are also other aspects that could ease the activities of such a business in Montenegro, especially when created by foreign investors. Here are some of them:

even if the company is not required to have a local manager, it is advisable to have at least a local representative;
it may have more offices across the country if it wants to offer its services to a larger number of businesses;
it should also ensure the recruitment offices have the necessary space to carry out interviews and other activities in a professional manner.

Our law firm in Montenegro can help foreign businesspersons set up recruitment agencies here in a timely fashion.

Recruitment agencies and the Montenegro Employment Law

The registration of an employment agency falls under the provisions of the Company Act in Montenegro which provides for the business to be incorporated with the Trade Register and obtain a business license under which it can operate. Once it is registered with the Companies Register and the tax authorities, the staffing agency will need to comply with the requirements of the Employment Law which provides for the conditions of hiring personnel.

Considering Montenegro employment agencies can outsource personnel for other companies they also have the obligation of treating the persons they hire as their own employees for which they must guarantee:

a temporary or permanent work contract and a base salary for the employee;
to represent the employees in their relationships with the employer;
to secure the protection of the employees under the provisions of the Employment Law;
to offer equal treatment to local and foreign citizens brought for employment purposes;
to comply with the obligations related to their condition as employers.

The Montenegro recruitment company also has the possibility of only finding suitable candidates for businesses requesting their services.

Our Montenegro lawyers can offer more information on the employment regulations applicable in this country. Aside from that, your desire to relocate to the Balkan country will necessitate you taking an essential step, which is to obtain a Montenegro residence permit. Gaining residency is unquestionably possible here because Montenegro recognizes that immigration will be the driving force behind future economic development. Although obtaining residency in this country is relatively difficult, there are a few key procedures that must be strictly followed.

Services offered by employment agencies in Montenegro

One of the greatest advantages of opening a recruitment agency in Montenegro is the flexibility this business can benefit from and the wide range of services it can offer. Among these services are:

intermediating employment relations between job seekers and companies seeking workers;
finding suitable positions for people requesting their services for finding a job;
recruiting personnel on behalf of local or foreign companies operating in Montenegro;
human resources services, meaning a company can outsource this department to the recruitment agency;
posting and advertising job openings as requested by various companies;
searching for foreign workers on behalf of Montenegro companies.

The services that can be offered by a recruitment company in Montenegro are quite extensive, however, they must comply with the legal requirements imposed by the Employment Law.

Hiring foreign personnel through a recruitment company in Montenegro

Many local businesses seek to hire foreign employees and staffing agencies can offer such a service. There are two types of solutions recruitment companies can provide in this case:

they hire foreign staff on their own and offer personnel leasing services;
they find the employees on behalf of their clients and intermediate the employment conditions between employer and worker.

The main difference between the two services refers to the obligation of filing for work and residence permits for Montenegro. In the first instance, the staffing agency must apply for the work and residence cards on behalf of their own employees. The second one can offer assistance to the employer in this procedure. You can also rely on our local lawyers for support in immigration to Montenegro by employment.

Since employment and temporary-work agencies need a permit from the labour ministry in Montenegro to bring workers from your country through an employment agency, we remind you that you need to comply with the local Labor Code. Our lawyers in Montenegro can advise on this matter.

Labor statistics in Montenegro

According to the Statistical Office (MONSTAT), at the level of 2025:

the active population of Montenegro accounted for 310,400 people, out of which 89.3% or 277,300 were employed;
33,100 persons or 10.7% were unemployed;
the 2025 data are not directly comparable with earlier years because of a break in the time series;
the employment rate for the 15 – 89 age segment was 54.4%, while the unemployment one was 10.7%.

If you intend to relocate to Montenegro, our lawyers can also assist you. You must apply for a Montenegro visa at the Montenegro consulate in your home country. The processing time for a Montenegro visa is 14 working days. However, the processing time is affected by a number of factors, such as when the application is submitted, and how many applicants apply at the same time.

For specialized assistance in opening a staffing agency as a foreigner in this country, please contact our Montenegro law firm.