Podgorica, (MINA-BUSINESS) – President of the Tourism Committee of the German-Montenegrin Business Club Michael Bader believes that the proposed amendments to the Law on Foreigners pertaining the conditions for extending the residence permits of founders of foreign-owned companies overlook the real situation in Montenegro’s labour market.

 

“The introduction of an obligation that every foreign-owned company must employ at least two Montenegrin citizens raises a key question: is there even enough labour in Montenegro, especially qualified labour, to meet such a requirement?” said Bader, who is also the president of the foundation “Future of Montenegrin Tourism”.

 

He recalled that the Montenegrin business sector has for years been facing a serious shortage of workers in almost all sectors, and that the lack of qualified personnel affects both domestic and foreign employers.

 

“It is legitimate to ask who will fill these positions, especially when it comes to specialized jobs created by foreign companies – IT, consulting, architecture, remote services, financial technologies, and other knowledge-based sectors,” Bader asked.

 

He believes that by introducing a rigid rule requiring two Montenegrin employees per company, the state risks creating pressure not only on foreign investors but also on domestic businesses already struggling with a labour shortage.

 

“This issue is particularly important given that, according to available data, around 100,000 foreigners have legal residence in Montenegro, and tens of thousands of foreign-owned companies currently contribute to the Montenegrin economy through investments, employment, and taxes. We are talking about a significant segment of the economic system, not a marginal phenomenon,” Bader said. 

 

He recalled that the free movement of people and services is one of the key pillars of the European Union.

 

“Limiting the residence of company founders and introducing mandatory employment quotas is not in line with the practice of most European countries, where criteria are based on the real economic contribution of a business – revenues, investments, taxes paid – rather than strictly on the formal number of employees,” Bader stated.

 

According to him, the foundations of an attractive business environment are predictability and stable regulation, which is why any change introduced without broad analysis and consultation creates an impression of uncertainty and sends a negative message to investors.