Life in Emigration. Work in Montenegro for Newcomers.

Where and in What Positions Do Newcomers Work in Montenegro.

So Where Can You Work If You Are Not Ready or Do Not Have the Opportunity to Start Your Own Business?

What About the Creative and Entertainment Sector?

Salaries.

And How Do I, the Author of This Text, Make a Living?

Conclusions.

"Who needs you there?"
"You'll be washing floors or dishes"
"There's no work in Montenegro!"
These and other phrases are heard too often not to talk about them. So, without long introductions, let's begin.

Where and in What Positions Do Newcomers Work in Montenegro.

First of all, expats create jobs themselves and start various types of businesses, where they most often hire "their own": beauty salons (including manicure/pedicure, brows, massage), restaurants/cafes/bars (prices for customers are usually above average, but the service is noticeably better than what locals offer), hotels, shops, car services, construction (almost all large construction projects here are funded by "post-Soviet" and Turkish money, and the workers are a mixed bunch: "ours", Montenegrins, Albanians), the IT sector (both relocated companies and newly established ones), many real estate agents and other property specialists, car sharing, services for children/parents like private kindergartens and after-school programs, various courses and training (languages, yoga, fitness, etc.).

So Where Can You Work If You Are Not Ready or Do Not Have the Opportunity to Start Your Own Business?

Russian-speaking people work as sales assistants in the Mix Markt chain, waiters, bartenders, administrators, construction workers, provide various services like selling homemade dumplings or "husband for an hour", work in cleaning, deliver goods on electric scooters, give paid lessons in various fields.

And let's not forget about the separate groups of IT specialists and representatives of the "creative intelligentsia".

What About the Creative and Entertainment Sector?

Let's take Budva as an example - the center of all the "action" in Montenegro. 80% of all posters around the city are in Russian. Plays, cover parties, poetry readings, creative evenings (Parfenov, Shulman, Troitsky, etc.), concerts of famous artists (Noize MC, Kasta, Louna, 5’Nizza, Nerves, Okean Elzy, etc.).

Here live both famous artists, actors, musicians, comedians and organizers of major festivals, as well as "smaller fish" who occasionally try to launch their own less ambitious events: cover bands, singer-songwriters, hosts...

People organize quizzes, quests, excursions, workshops. In general, in terms of event richness, at least Budva is quite well-equipped.

And if we remember the events organized by locals, it becomes even more colorful: there are festivals, carnivals, open-airs, raves, fashion shows, etc.

Salaries.

It's hard to determine the average figure, but the minimum wage usually starts at 500-600 euros per month in small startups and coffee shops. In practice, you can find something for 1000+.

One acquaintance found a job at the market two weeks after moving. As a butcher. Immediately 1000 euros per month + meat products as a bonus. And it's work with locals - full immersion in the environment.

There is always construction work. Those with skills can work for themselves and find contracts, or simply go to one of the large sites and start their way up. Pay averages from 30 to 100 euros per day. Much depends on qualifications and other factors.

*Note: such work is a 6-day week of 12 hours. Sounds scary, but in reality, out of those 12 hours, people actually work maybe half of that time. The rest - sitting around and sometimes even drinking beer/rakia.

And How Do I, the Author of This Text, Make a Living?

I work as a content manager and moderator on this website. As you can see, I also write articles.

I found this job in one of the Russian-speaking Telegram chats and went through the interview on general terms.

I also earn money from concert activities - I am a musician myself and I help others organize events, including fairly large ones.

The most important thing: I managed to apply my skills and knowledge from scratch - when I arrived in Montenegro, I didn't know anyone and had no connections.

Conclusions.

If you really want to find a way to earn money, you will find it here. The rest is a matter of personal initiative. So I wish you, dear reader, fair winds in this matter if it concerns you. Go for it - and everything will work out!