Introduction

Established in 1951, IOM is a Related Organization of the United Nations and, as the leading UN agency in the field of migration, works closely with governmental, intergovernmental, and non-governmental partners. IOM is dedicated to promoting humane and orderly migration for the benefit of all. It does so by providing services and advice to governments and migrants.
 

Project Context and Scope

The National EU Labour Law Expert will be engaged to assess the legal and institutional frameworks governing the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Work and Employment of Foreigners, including their alignment with EU standards.

The assignment will be implemented in close coordination with a National Security Expert to ensure coherence between the two laws.

Objectives of the Assignment

The overall objective of the assignment is to assess the effectiveness and coherence of the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Work and Employment of Foreigners, and to propose practical recommendations 

Specific objectives include:

• Provide an analysis of the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Work and Employment of Foreigners and their alignment with the EU Acquis. 

• Assess coordination between relevant labour and security authorities.

• Identify legal, procedural, and administrative barriers in the Law on Foreigners and the Law on Work and Employment of Foreigners.

• Evaluate work permit procedures and their alignment with EU standards.

• Proposing actionable recommendations to improve the legal and institutional framework.

• Ensure a protection dimension to strengthen the laws to better reflect the risks and challenges. Include a gender dimension to ensure opportunities to strengthen the laws. 

The entire initiative will be structured to ensure the effort does not exceed 20 days of engagement. 

Tangible and measurable outputs of the work assignment 

A comprehensive Gap Analysis Report of both laws and their coherence and alignment with EU standards.

A prioritized set of recommendations, categorised as:

• Short-term (procedural/administrative),

• Medium-term (legal amendments),

• Long-term (strategic reforms).

All outputs should be evidence-based, clearly referenced, and suitable for use in legislative and policy reform processes. 

Scope of Work

The expert shall undertake the following tasks: 

• Legal and policy analysis
• Assessment of work permit procedures 
• Institutional and administrative coordination 
• Recommendations 

Deliverables & Timeline

Performance indicators for the evaluation of results

• Timely delivery of all outputs in accordance with the agreed timeline.

• Analytical quality and depth of the gap analysis.

• Practical relevance and feasibility of recommendations.

• Clarity, structure, and usability of reports for policymakers.

• Effective coordination with the National Security Expert and relevant stakeholders.

Required Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Advanced degree in law, economics, public policy, social sciences, or related field.

Experience

• Minimum 7-10 years of professional experience in labour market policy, employment regulation, labour migration, or related field.
• Proven experience in the analysis of labour legislation and work permit systems.
• Demonstrated experience working with the EU acquis, particularly in areas related to migration. 
• Experience working with public institutions and/or international organizations. 
• Strong analytical and report writing skills.

Skills

• Strong analytical, research, and drafting skills.
• In-depth knowledge of labour market dynamics. 
• Familiarity with labour migration and work permit systems. 
• Ability to formulate practical, policy-relevant recommendations.
• Ability to work independently and meet tight deadlines.

Languages

For this consultancy, fluency in English and Macedonian is required.

Proficiency in language(s) required will be specifically evaluated during the selection process, which may include written and/or oral assessments.

Required Competencies

IOM’s competency framework can be found at this link. Competencies will be assessed during the selection process.

Values - all IOM staff members must abide by and demonstrate these five values:

• Inclusion and respect for diversity: Respects and promotes individual and cultural differences. Encourages diversity and inclusion.
• Integrity and transparency: Maintains high ethical standards and acts in a manner consistent with organizational principles/rules and standards of conduct.
• Professionalism: Demonstrates ability to work in a composed, competent, and committed manner and exercises careful judgment in meeting day-to-day challenges.
• Courage: Demonstrates willingness to take a stand on issues of importance.
• Empathy: Shows compassion for others, makes people feel safe, respected, and fairly treated.

Core Competencies – behavioural indicators

• Teamwork: Develops and promotes effective collaboration within and across units to achieve shared goals and optimize results.
• Delivering results: Produces and delivers quality results in a service-oriented and timely manner. Is action-oriented and committed to achieving agreed outcomes.
• Managing and sharing knowledge: Continuously seeks to learn, share knowledge, and innovate.
• Accountability: Takes ownership for achieving the Organization’s priorities and assumes responsibility for one's own actions and delegated work.
• Communication: Encourages and contributes to clear and open communication. Explains complex matters in an informative, inspiring, and motivational way.

Notes

This post is subject to local recruitment. Only those holding a valid residence or work permit for North Macedonia will be eligible for consideration.

IOM covers Consultants against occupational accidents and illnesses under the Compensation Plan (CP), free of charge, for the duration of the consultancy. IOM does not provide evacuation or medical insurance for non-occupational accidents or illnesses. Consultants are responsible for their own medical insurance for non-occupational accident or illness and will be required to provide written proof of such coverage before commencing work. 

Any offer made to the candidate in relation to this vacancy notice is subject to funding confirmation.

The appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment and to security clearances.

IOM has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and IOM, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background, or disabilities.

IOM does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, processing, training, or other fee). IOM does not request any information related to bank accounts.

IOM only accepts duly completed applications submitted through the IOM e-Recruitment system (for internal candidates, link here). The online tool also allows candidates to track the status of their application.

No late applications will be accepted. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

For further information and other job postings, you are welcome to visit our website: IOM Careers and Job Vacancies