Working in North Macedonia as a French National: Permits, Pay, Contributions and Economy

France Diplomatie states that French nationals, like citizens of the European Union and the Schengen area, do not need a visa for a stay of under three months, on business as for tourism, with a passport valid for more than six months or a valid identity card. North Macedonia does not issue a short-stay business visa. Professional stays of more than three months require a long-stay visa requested from the North Macedonian embassy in Paris; for a professional or family reason, an extension beyond three months is possible with the Foreigners’ Office of the Ministry of the Interior. The pages consulted do not describe the work permit: its conditions, deadlines and fees should be confirmed with the embassy and the employer.

Registration with the nearest police station is compulsory within 48 hours of arrival. The guide living in North Macedonia covers these formalities. The regional Economic Service in Belgrade covers the country and the network of French foreign trade advisers advises companies; the Business travel page lists no local chamber of commerce.

CLEISS gives a gross minimum wage of the order of 36,000 denars a month for 40 hours a week, revised regularly, and an average gross salary close to 65,000 denars. The National Statistical Institute shows an average monthly net salary close to 48,000 denars. The contribution base cannot be lower than 50% of the average gross salary. An executive recruited locally compares the offer with these averages and with their sector, and often negotiates a package that includes housing, supplementary health insurance and schooling.

The currency is the denar; its exchange rate against the euro varies. It cites GDP of about 12 billion euros and GDP per capita of about 6,500 euros.

CLEISS lists for an employee exclusively employer contributions: sickness-maternity at 7.3%, work accidents and occupational diseases at 0.5% for benefits in kind and 4% for cash benefits, old age, disability and survivors at 18%, unemployment at 1.2%, or 31% in total, with no direct employee share. The sickness-maternity base is capped at 16 times the average monthly gross salary. The associated rights are described by CLEISS: care is open from the first day of insurance, sickness daily allowances require six months of insurance, and the employer pays the first 30 days at 70 to 85% of the average net salary of the last 12 months before the fund takes over for 12 months at most. Maternity gives entitlement to 9 months of leave (15 months for multiple births) at 100% of average salary, with 28 days of prenatal rest and at least 45 days of postnatal leave.

Retirement opens at 64 for men and 62 for women, with at least 15 years of insurance, and can be deferred until 67; the full-rate pension requires 40 years for men and 35 years for women (CLEISS). See the North Macedonian healthcare system.

CLEISS describes means-tested family benefits: the family must have lived in North Macedonia for at least three years and monthly income per member must not exceed 46% of the minimum wage; self-employed workers are not eligible. Monthly family allowances range from 1,443 denars (one preschool child) to 2,284 denars (two or more children), and from 1,203 to 1,923 denars for school-age children depending on their number. The birth or adoption allowance is 6,010 denars for the first child and 24,045 denars for the second. Maternity benefits require six months of contributions before the birth or adoption, and adoptive parents receive 50% of average salary until the child is 9 months old.

For a posted employee, the 1950 agreement leaves French family benefits with the CAF (French family benefits fund), including for the family who accompany them if the conditions are met, with the PAJE (French early-childhood benefit) birth bonus. A local employee compares these rules with their contract and the length of residence required before counting on local benefits.

CLEISS gives for the self-employed the same rates as for employers, or 31% in total, with a ceiling of 12 times the average monthly gross salary for sickness-maternity and a minimum base of 50% of the average gross salary. In case of sick leave, a self-employed person receives nothing for the first 30 days; from the 31st day, the fund pays 70% of the previous year’s average monthly income (85% for a malignant tumour), for 12 months at most. Self-employed workers are not eligible for family benefits. The pages consulted describe no specific status for digital nomads: the residence permit and the tax regime should be confirmed with the embassy, the Ministry of the Interior and the tax administration. France Diplomatie describes good-quality telecommunications with two mobile networks. See the guide digital nomad insurance.

Coordination with France rests on the general Franco-Yugoslav agreement of 5 January 1950 and its administrative arrangement of 23 January 1967, made applicable by the exchange of letters of 13 and 14 December 1995, in force since 14 December 1995 (CLEISS). It covers employees of French or Macedonian nationality and all branches except unemployment. An employee posted from a company established in France keeps French health insurance with no additional contribution; for care, they send their paid invoices with form S 3125c to their fund, or send the Macedonian body a request with a copy of certificate SE 21-01. CLEISS does not state the maximum length of posting on its page; it should be confirmed with the body. See posted worker or expatriate.

On tax, the list of treaties on impots.gouv.fr shows a treaty with North Macedonia on income and wealth taxes, with no date on the page consulted. It designates the State competent to tax salaries and pensions; the French tax residence criteria (home, main place of stay, activity, centre of economic interests) can be checked on impots.gouv.fr. The Macedonian income tax scale on wages should be confirmed with the local tax administration: no rate is repeated here without reading the official text.

The local labour market is difficult: the National Statistical Institute and France Diplomatie report high unemployment. For a job search, the regional Economic Service in Belgrade (Zmaj Jovina 11) and the French embassy in Skopje guide companies and candidates.

International health insurance remains necessary for anyone working on site, the European card not being valid in the country: see expat health insurance and healthcare reimbursement in North Macedonia.