Professional Recruitment Agencies in Serbia: Trends & Data

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Autor

Nemanja Nikolić

Date

13.10.2025
BlogNews People Focus
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In recent years, Serbia has become one of Southeastern Europe’s fastest-growing hubs for IT and professional talent. Alongside this growth, professional recruitment agencies have taken on a crucial role in matching employers with qualified candidates. In this article, we’ll explore the latest data about recruitment agencies in Serbia, key market trends, and what companies should consider when engaging with or becoming one.

Market Size & Key Metrics

  • The revenues of Serbia’s employment placement agencies (which includes recruitment firms) are estimated at €59.7 million in 2024. ibisworld.org
  • The number of such businesses stood around 42 in 2024. The industry had been declining at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of about 18.6% between 2019 and 2024. ibisworld.org
  • For temporary employment placement agencies, there are ~76 firms in 2024, though that segment also shows some decline in recent years. IBISWorld

Growth in Serbia’s IT / ICT Sector & Impacts on Agencies

  • Serbia’s ICT exports reached a record of €4.13 billion in 2024 — about +20% YoY growth. DevsData+1
  • Each year, 15,000+ IT & engineering graduates enter the workforce. DevsData
  • There are tens of thousands of IT professionals already active in the market, and many agencies (especially those specialising in IT) maintain large databases of pre-screened candidates. DevsData+1

Key Challenges Faced by Recruitment Agencies

  • Talent shortage despite increasing graduate numbers: Companies report difficulty filling mid-senior roles. omnesgroup.com+3Mobilunity+3Vojvodina ICT Cluster+3
  • Shrinking traditional recruitment agency revenue in some segments: The decline of temporary or general employment agencies suggests competition, changes in hiring practices, or more in-house recruitment may be reducing the demand for less specialised agency services. ibisworld.org+1
  • Demand for higher standards: IT recruiters are expected to provide not just candidate CVs, but to screen for technical skills, cultural fit, remote working abilities etc. The competition among agencies includes how well they deliver on these deeper vetting services. omnesgroup.com+2DevsData+2

Advantages & Opportunities for Employers Using Agencies

  • Agencies offer specialist IT recruiting knowledge, faster hiring processes for hard-to-fill roles, and access to passive candidates. DevsData+2omnesgroup.com+2
  • Companies can benefit from market insight: wage benchmarks, demand for specific tech skills, etc. This helps in setting realistic offers and reducing turnover. omnesgroup.com+1
  • For employers expanding in Serbia, working with reputable agencies can ease the risk of mis-hires, reduce time to find senior/intermediate candidates, and help navigate local hiring norms (contracts, benefits, expectations).

What Employers Should Check Before Choosing an Agency

  • Specialization in IT vs general staffing: Those focusing on IT tend to have deeper candidate pools & better screening methods.
  • Database size & candidate quality: How many candidates are pre-screened, how current is the pool?
  • Speed & time-to-hire metrics: Can the agency fill mid/senior roles in a reasonable timeframe?
  • Transparency in costs, fees, and guarantees (e.g., replacement if candidate doesn’t work out).
  • Reputation & client success stories: Especially for senior roles — see case studies, reviews, local references.

Predictions & What’s Coming in 2025

  • Continued growth in demand for mid/senior IT roles (data science, AI, cybersecurity, cloud) will force agencies to adapt their sourcing, screening, and candidate retention strategies.
  • Agencies will likely invest more in technology – applicant tracking systems, AI-based sourcing, remote hiring tools.
  • Employer branding, candidate experience, and speed will become more decisive differentiators. Companies will increasingly expect agencies to offer strategic hires, not just fill roles.
  • Possible consolidation in the agency market: some smaller or generalist agencies may exit or pivot towards niche services.

Conclusion
Serbia’s professional recruitment agency market is at a crossroads. On one side, there is strong growth in the IT sector, rising wages for specialized talent, and well-educated graduates. On the other side, agencies face challenges: talent shortages, increasing expectations, and shifting employer preferences.

For companies looking to hire in Serbia, partnering with the right agency can make the difference between fast, high-quality hires and long, costly recruitment cycles. Agencies that specialise, offer deep value, and maintain high standards are best positioned to succeed — and deliver value — in 2025 and beyond.

In recent years, Serbia has become one of Southeastern Europe’s fastest-growing hubs for IT and professional talent. Alongside this growth, professional recruitment agencies have taken on a crucial role in matching employers with qualified candidates. In this article, we’ll explore the latest data about recruitment agencies in Serbia, key market trends, and what companies should consider when engaging with or becoming one.

Market Size & Key Metrics

  • The revenues of Serbia’s employment placement agencies (which includes recruitment firms) are estimated at €59.7 million in 2024. ibisworld.org
  • The number of such businesses stood around 42 in 2024. The industry had been declining at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of about 18.6% between 2019 and 2024. ibisworld.org
  • For temporary employment placement agencies, there are ~76 firms in 2024, though that segment also shows some decline in recent years. IBISWorld

Growth in Serbia’s IT / ICT Sector & Impacts on Agencies

  • Serbia’s ICT exports reached a record of €4.13 billion in 2024 — about +20% YoY growth. DevsData+1
  • Each year, 15,000+ IT & engineering graduates enter the workforce. DevsData
  • There are tens of thousands of IT professionals already active in the market, and many agencies (especially those specialising in IT) maintain large databases of pre-screened candidates. DevsData+1

Key Challenges Faced by Recruitment Agencies

  • Talent shortage despite increasing graduate numbers: Companies report difficulty filling mid-senior roles. omnesgroup.com+3Mobilunity+3Vojvodina ICT Cluster+3
  • Shrinking traditional recruitment agency revenue in some segments: The decline of temporary or general employment agencies suggests competition, changes in hiring practices, or more in-house recruitment may be reducing the demand for less specialised agency services. ibisworld.org+1
  • Demand for higher standards: IT recruiters are expected to provide not just candidate CVs, but to screen for technical skills, cultural fit, remote working abilities etc. The competition among agencies includes how well they deliver on these deeper vetting services. omnesgroup.com+2DevsData+2

Advantages & Opportunities for Employers Using Agencies

  • Agencies offer specialist IT recruiting knowledge, faster hiring processes for hard-to-fill roles, and access to passive candidates. DevsData+2omnesgroup.com+2
  • Companies can benefit from market insight: wage benchmarks, demand for specific tech skills, etc. This helps in setting realistic offers and reducing turnover. omnesgroup.com+1
  • For employers expanding in Serbia, working with reputable agencies can ease the risk of mis-hires, reduce time to find senior/intermediate candidates, and help navigate local hiring norms (contracts, benefits, expectations).

What Employers Should Check Before Choosing an Agency

  • Specialization in IT vs general staffing: Those focusing on IT tend to have deeper candidate pools & better screening methods.
  • Database size & candidate quality: How many candidates are pre-screened, how current is the pool?
  • Speed & time-to-hire metrics: Can the agency fill mid/senior roles in a reasonable timeframe?
  • Transparency in costs, fees, and guarantees (e.g., replacement if candidate doesn’t work out).
  • Reputation & client success stories: Especially for senior roles — see case studies, reviews, local references.

Predictions & What’s Coming in 2025

  • Continued growth in demand for mid/senior IT roles (data science, AI, cybersecurity, cloud) will force agencies to adapt their sourcing, screening, and candidate retention strategies.
  • Agencies will likely invest more in technology – applicant tracking systems, AI-based sourcing, remote hiring tools.
  • Employer branding, candidate experience, and speed will become more decisive differentiators. Companies will increasingly expect agencies to offer strategic hires, not just fill roles.
  • Possible consolidation in the agency market: some smaller or generalist agencies may exit or pivot towards niche services.

Conclusion
Serbia’s professional recruitment agency market is at a crossroads. On one side, there is strong growth in the IT sector, rising wages for specialized talent, and well-educated graduates. On the other side, agencies face challenges: talent shortages, increasing expectations, and shifting employer preferences.

For companies looking to hire in Serbia, partnering with the right agency can make the difference between fast, high-quality hires and long, costly recruitment cycles. Agencies that specialise, offer deep value, and maintain high standards are best positioned to succeed — and deliver value — in 2025 and beyond.

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