Hiring in North Macedonia

The terms set out role, salary in MKD, working time, leave, notice and any restrictive covenants. The EOR is the counterparty to the employee, which is what removes the need for your own entity.

Macedonian is the required contract language, and bilingual Macedonian and English versions are common for international clients.

Fixed-term contracts are permitted for up to five years in total, after which the employment converts to indefinite. Most EORs default to indefinite terms.

Set probation from day one. Six months is the legal maximum, so there is no room to extend a probation that was agreed at the full length.

Some EORs shorten probation as policy because they, not you, carry the dismissal risk. Ask before you agree a start date.

Overtime is paid at a premium of at least 35% on the basic hourly rate, and work on a weekly rest day attracts at least 50%.

The caps and premiums apply to professional hires as well, so agree in writing how overtime is approved. The employer must keep a separate overtime register and itemise overtime on each payslip.

Contracts or collective agreements can raise annual leave to 26 working days, and full entitlement applies after six months of continuous service. When a national holiday falls on a Sunday, the Monday is taken off instead.

The employer pays the first 30 days of sick leave, after which the Health Insurance Fund takes over. Maternity leave runs for nine months at full pay and is funded by the Health Insurance Fund, so confirm how the EOR handles the claim.

Dismissal needs a lawful ground, such as personal reasons, misconduct or business reasons, and notice can be replaced by pay in lieu by agreement. After a redundancy, the employer cannot hire someone else for the same role for two years.

The EOR runs the process as the legal employer and will want the paperwork in order, including a written decision with the grounds, final pay, unused leave and any severance. Conduct cases usually need a prior written warning, and dismissals can be challenged in court, so keep a documented reason.

A seniority supplement of 0.5% of basic salary for each year of service also applies, even where the contract is silent.

Private medical cover is not mandatory, but it is a common addition for professional roles. EORs often bundle benefits through a group scheme. Ask what is included in the fee and what is billed on top.

Social contributions of 28% come out of gross salary, with no employer contribution on top. Your cost is the gross salary plus the leave allowance, before the EOR fee.

Net pay is the trap. Candidates usually negotiate a take-home figure, and gross works out at roughly 1.5 times net once contributions, tax and the personal allowance are applied. Convert before you put a number in the offer.

Ask whether the EOR sponsors directly or refers to a partner. A partner-model EOR often cannot sponsor at all, and the quota and any labour market test apply to the sponsor, not to you.

The start of employment must be registered within 30 days of the permit being issued. Set start dates after approval, not before.

Get the data processing terms in the service agreement, not just the privacy notice. Transfers out of North Macedonia are regulated even when the destination is the EU. The Personal Data Protection Agency must be notified at least 15 days before a transfer to an EU, EEA or NATO country, and other destinations need approved safeguards or the agency's approval.

Ask where payroll data is hosted and who in the partner chain can see it.

Incorporation here is quick through the Central Registry's one-stop shop, and a limited liability company needs EUR 5,000 in share capital. The running cost is the point: a manager, an accountant, annual accounts, an audit above size thresholds and payroll software set an annual floor.

Permanent establishment risk is about what people do, not where payroll sits. Revenue-generating activity can create exposure regardless of the employment route.