💰 New Partner Program: Get $2K per client referral Learn more →
Country hiring guide

Hiring in Kosovo 🇽🇰

Youngest population in Europe; growing IT and services sector. Employer on-costs run ~5% on top of gross salary. Here is what to know before your first Kosovo hire.

Calculate a Kosovo hire →
OverviewFacts & statsEmployer costsLeaveTermination
Capital cityPristina
CurrencyEuro (EUR)
LanguagesAlbanian, Serbian (official)
Population~1.8 million
Payroll frequencyMonthly; euro (unilateral); 13th salary not mandatory
VAT standard rate18% (TVSH)
Employer burden*~5% of gross
TGTC flat EOR fee$499/mo · Tier B
Overview

Employing in Kosovo

Employment in Kosovo runs under its national labour code, which sets the floor for wages, working hours, leave, and notice. Here are the essentials before you make an offer.

Minimum wage

  • €425/month gross from Jan 2026
  • Rises to €500/month from Jul 2026

Payroll cycle & extra pay

  • Monthly; filings due by 15th of following month
  • No mandatory 13th salary

Public holidays

  • ~13 public holidays per year

Onboarding & probation

  • Probation max 6 months
Employer costs

What you pay on top of salary

Employer on-costs in Kosovo run ~5% of gross salary. Employer pays 5% pension into Kosovo Pension Savings Trust; employee matches 5%.

Employer contribution*Rate
Pension (employer)5%

Passed through at cost

These statutory costs are paid at cost on top of TGTC's flat $499/mo fee, so you always see the real employer cost, not a marked-up percentage.

Employee-side taxes

Employees pay their own income tax and social-security share, withheld at source. Under an EOR, TGTC runs that payroll withholding for you.

Types of leave

Statutory leave in Kosovo

Annual leave

  • Minimum 4 weeks (20 working days); +1 day per 5 years

Maternity & parental leave

  • 12 months: 6 employer at 70%, 3 state at 50%, 3 unpaid

Sick leave

  • Up to 20 working days/year at 100%

Other leave

  • Paid short-term family and bereavement leave
Employment termination

Ending employment in Kosovo

Notice

  • 30 days (<2 yrs), 45 days (2-10 yrs), 60 days (>10 yrs)

Severance

  • Redundancy only; 1-7 months' salary by tenure

Probation

  • Reduced notice during probation

Contractor risk

  • Misclassification reclassed; back contributions and tax owed

*All figures are estimates from public sources (2025-26), pending ops verification - same basis as the EOR cost calculator. Not tax or legal advice.

Hire in Kosovo without setting up an entity

TGTC employs your hire in Kosovo on a compliant local contract, runs payroll and benefits, and passes statutory costs through at cost. One invoice, flat $499 per month.

Get a Kosovo quote