Labour market overview, situation as of 31 May 2020



The number of unemployed people registered with public employment services in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 31 May 2020 was 421 474. As compared to a month earlier, this number was higher by 1 892 persons or 0.45%. Out of the total number of job seekers, 240 615 or 57.09% were women. In comparison to the same period of the year earlier, unemployment in BiH was higher by 14 789 persons or 4.61%.

Unemployment decreased in the Federation of BiH by 173 persons (0.05%), but increased in Republika Srpska by 2 003 persons (2.31%) and in the Brčko District of BiH by 62 persons (0.91%).

Job seekers by qualification levels, situation as of 31 May 2020:

113 338 unskilled workers or 26.90%, of whom 66 487 (27.63%) women;

7 177 semi-skilled workers – lower educational background or 1.70%, of whom 3 638 (1.51%) women;

133 502 skilled workers or 31.68%, of whom 62 324 (25.9%) women;

1 580 highly skilled workers or 0.37%, of whom 283 (0.12%) women;

122 182 with secondary education or 28.99%, of whom 77 721 (32.4%) women;

6 992 with two-year post-secondary education or 1.66%, of whom 4 498 (1.87%) women;

36 661 with university degree or 8.7%, of whom 25 664 (10.67%) women.

A total of 12 476 people were deregistered from public employment services, of whom 6 880 were women. Out of this number, there were 9 441 flows into employment, of which 5 300 were women. 

At the same time employment terminated for 11 585 people, of whom 5 905 were women.  In the same period, employers reported 2 506 vacancies. 

According to BiH Agency for Statistics, the number of people in employment in BiH in April 2020 stood at 808 894, of whom 347 876 were women.  In comparison to March 2020, the number of people in employment fell by 2.6% and the number of employed women fell by 3.3%.

Registered unemployment rate for March 2020 was 34.2% which is a drop of 1.8 percentage point in comparison to March 2020.