EXPO 2027 Belgrade: A New Wave of Opportunities for Serbia

EXPO 2027 is set to bring the world to Belgrade—and with it, significant new opportunities for participating countries, international organizations, event teams, workers, and the Serbian labour market. 

Taking place from 15 May to 15 August 2027, EXPO 2027 Belgrade will be the first Specialised Expo held in the Western Balkans. By June 2026, 139 official participants had been confirmed, while more than four million visitors are expected over the course of the event. 

But an event of this scale is about much more than the three months during which the gates are open. Embassies, delegations, pavilion teams, exhibitors, and event organizations will need to prepare their local operations well in advance—including the people required to run them successfully. 

For Serbia, this also means a significant workforce opportunity. 

Workforce demand across multiple industries 

The workforce impact of EXPO 2027 is unlikely to be limited to the exhibition site itself. 

Participating countries, embassies, delegations, pavilions, exhibitors, and event organizations will require local teams to support their presence in Belgrade. From setting up operations to welcoming visitors and managing daily activities, a wide range of roles will be needed before and throughout the event. 

As a result, workforce needs could increase across a broad range of areas, including event operations, logistics, administration, customer service, skilled labour, and professional roles. 

Event organizations may need operational and logistics support. International teams may require administrative employees, customer service staff, coordinators, and professionals who understand the local environment. Some of these requirements may be highly temporary, while others will begin months before the event and continue throughout an organization’s entire presence in Serbia. 

The result is not one single category of EXPO-related jobs, but a much wider need for people with different skills, experience levels, and professional backgrounds.

An opportunity for Serbia's workforce 

This increased demand represents an opportunity for people across Serbia to gain new professional experience and access roles created by international activity in the country. 

Temporary and project-based work can provide candidates with the opportunity to gain experience in dynamic environments, work with international teams, and develop skills that remain valuable after the event itself. 

For participating organizations, however, the scale and timing of these workforce requirements create an equally important challenge: how to build capable local teams quickly, compliantly, and on schedule. 

Organizations entering a new market cannot always rely on their existing recruitment channels or knowledge of the local talent landscape. When several delegations, pavilions, and event organizations begin looking for similar profiles within the same period, access to suitable candidates may become increasingly competitive. 

Starting workforce planning early therefore gives international teams more time to define their requirements, identify the right staffing model, and ensure that people are in place when operations begin. 

Workforce planning needs to begin before the event 

For embassies, delegations, pavilions, exhibitors, and event organizations preparing for EXPO 2027, workforce planning should begin with a clear understanding of how their local operation will function. 

How many people will be required? Which skills and roles will be critical? When will employees need to be available? Will the need be temporary or long term? And how will larger teams be recruited, onboarded, and managed? 

This is particularly important for international organizations entering the Serbian market. 

Building a local team requires more than publishing vacancies. Organizations need an understanding of the local labour market, access to relevant candidates, and support with the processes required to employ and manage people in Serbia. 

Every delegation, pavilion, exhibitor, and event organization will have different requirements, so workforce solutions will need to be structured around the individual operation rather than approached as a one-size-fits-all model. 

Local workforce support for organizations preparing for EXPO 2027 

Manpower Serbia combines knowledge of the local labour market with established access to qualified candidates across Serbia, supporting embassies, delegations, pavilion teams, exhibitors, event organizations, and other international teams preparing their presence in Belgrade. 

Depending on the needs of each organization, this can include temporary staffing for pavilion, hospitality, and event roles; recruitment and selection for administrative, logistics, and customer support positions; onboarding and employment administration; payroll and workforce management; and onsite workforce support. 

For organizations requiring broader assistance, support can extend from defining initial staffing requirements through recruitment and onboarding to daily workforce operations. 

This allows international teams to work with a local partner throughout the different stages of their EXPO presence — from early workforce planning and team setup to day-to-day workforce management during the event. 

The objective is not simply to find candidates, but to help organizations put capable local teams in place on time, compliantly, and according to their specific operational requirements. 

Preparing today for the opportunities of 2027 

EXPO 2027 represents an important moment for Belgrade and Serbia. As international organizations arrive, pavilions take shape, delegations establish their local operations, and millions of visitors come to the city, the people behind those operations will play a crucial role in turning plans into successful delivery. 

For embassies, participating countries, exhibitors, and event organizations, workforce preparation will be an essential part of getting ready for Belgrade. 

Understanding future workforce requirements, building access to relevant talent, and defining the right staffing model before demand reaches its peak can make workforce planning significantly more manageable. 

Having the right local people in place from day one can also give international teams the confidence to focus on what they came to Belgrade to deliver. 

If your embassy, delegation, pavilion, exhibitor team, or organization is preparing for EXPO 2027 in Belgrade, contact the Manpower Serbia team to discuss your staffing and workforce needs.