Labour market overview, situation as of 31 January 2021



The number of unemployed people registered with public employment services in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 31 January 2021 was 415 027. As compared to a month earlier, this number was higher by 1 400 persons or 0.34%. Out of the total number of job seekers, 236 245 or 56.92% were women. In comparison to the same period of the year earlier, unemployment in BiH was higher by 8 860 persons or 2.18%.

Unemployment decreased in Republika Srpska by 266 persons (0.32%), but increased in Federation of BiH by 1 618 persons (0.50%) and in the Brčko District of BiH by 48 persons (0.66%)

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

110 409 unskilled workers or 26.60%, of whom 64 255 (25.86%) women;

6 880 semi-skilled workers – lower educational background or 1.66%, of whom 3 472 (1.47%) women;

131 530 skilled workers or 31.69%, of whom 61 093 (25.87%) women;

1 520 highly skilled workers or 0.37%, of whom 278 (0.12%) women;

119 595 with secondary education or 28.82%, of whom 75 733 (32.06%) women;

7 122 with two-year post-secondary education or 1.72%, of whom 4 524 (1.94%) women;

37 971 with university degree or 9.15%, of whom 26 820 (11.35%) women.

A total of 12 831 people were deregistered from public employment services in January, of whom 6 763 were women. Out of this number, there were 6 763 flows into employment, of which 3 282 were women. 

At the same time employment terminated for 10 810 people, of whom 5 248 were women.  In the same period, employers reported 2 847 vacancies. 

According to BiH Agency for Statistics, the number of people in employment in BiH in December 2020 stood at 813 942, of whom 351 402 were women.  In comparison to November 2020, the number of people in employment decreased by 0.1% and the number of employed women increased by 0.1%.

Registered unemployment rate for December 2020 was 33.7% and was 0.1 percentage point higher than in Noveber 2020.