Professional internships in Serbia for students and professionals
Serbia is the best option for those, who want to have work experience in Europe. Since Serbia is not a part of EU, the requirements for trainees are not so strict there. Serbia attracts residents of Russia, Ukraine and the Republic of Belarus, because the mentality of locals, language and culture are very similar to their, so it is easy to adapt to life in this country.
There is some problems with employment in Serbia for now. The country has a low standard of living and high unemployment rate of 19% (data for 2019). The government tries to solve these problems and makes opportunities to work not only for Serbians but also foreigners. The main thing is to find a company that will agree to hire you.
Interns who do a good job will have the opportunity to get a permanent position in the company.
They are basic requirements for trainees, who want to go to Serbia:
- Age from 18 to 35;
- A high-quality cover letter that provokes the employer’s interest;
- Student status or diploma.
Currently, Serbia is in short supply of such specialists as:
- IT-specialists;
- engineers of electrical engineering, construction, and machine industry;
- doctors, pharmacists, nurses.
Preference is given to qualified professionals with work experience.
How to go for an internship in Serbia
First of all, you need to find an internship program. You can do it in two ways: do your own search or contact a special company that will pick it up. If you are looking for an internship on your own, start with websites of Serbian companies and with job search sites.
In the first case, you should pay attention to the page with vacancies. Not all available vacancies and opportunities for internships are posted on the site, so you can write or call an HR department.
It is also necessary to prepare the resume and recommendation letters from university’s professors or employers and send them to the company.
If your candidacy is acceptable to the company's management, you will be invited to an interview. It usually takes place in an online format in Skype.
If you successfully pass the interview, the company will send you an employment contract that you need to obtain a work visa to Serbia. It is issued for the duration of the contract.
To obtain a work visa, you must provide:
- current and old international passport;
- completed form;
- 4 photos;
- original and copy of work permit;
- letter of invitation from the employer;
- statement of the bank account balance;
- a certificate of employment about the position and salary.
Serbian embassy is based in Moscow. To get a visa, you will need to pass a personal interview. Visa fee is 110 euros.
If you decide to use the services of agencies that help with the registration of internships, you will significantly save time. Agency employees select the program, contact the employer, help prepare for the interview and collect the necessary documents for the visa.
Internship in Serbia for alumnus
An internship in Serbia can last from 2 to 4 weeks. Internships are not paid. The working day starts early - at 7-8 am, but ends at 3 pm. Many Serbian workers prefer to skip lunch and go home even earlier. Therefore, by the middle of the working day, the offices are empty.
Depending on the internship program, you may need to speak Serbian. Therefore, please read the requirements for candidates attentively.
Most often, medical students are sent to Serbia for training. Clinics in the country offer internships for various medical specialties: Pediatrics, dentistry, medical care, etc.
Since internships last a short time, residents of most post- Soviet countries do not need to apply for a visa.
Most clinics pay for an Intern's accommodation, but not all programs include this, so pay attention to the cost of renting in the city where you are going to work. Questions about the organization of mobile communications, food, housing selection and etc, will also have to be solved independently.
Cost of student practice in Serbia
It is extremely difficult to find a free internship in Serbia. The cost depends on the specialty, the duration of the program, and the price of the company that organizes the internship.
A two-week internship in Serbia costs $700 on average, and a four-week one costs $1000.
Also remember about additional expenses: airfare, visa fee, medical insurance for the required period, food. This is usually paid for by the trainee, not the company, so read the terms of the program attentively to calculate your own expenses.
How to go for an internship in Serbia: quickly and legally
If you want to go for an internship abroad, you don't know where to start: how to find a company, collect the necessary documents, how the application process goes and etc., we are ready to offer professional help!
Doing everything yourself, you will spend a lot of time and not the fact that your work will pay off and you will go on an internship.
We will help you quickly collect all the necessary documents, create a resume, tell you how to get letters of recommendation and pass an interview via Skype and help you get a visa.
StudyQA is ready to offer internships in various fields. Fill out a special form on the site and after reviewing the application, we will call you back.