The Kosovo Agency of Statistics (KAS) has published the results of the Labor Force Survey (LFS) in the second quarter (Q2) 2018.

The survey has been extended to 598 enumeration areas throughout the country, where 3 462 households were surveyed selected according to the random method from the Population and Housing Censuses of 2011. Households selected for the survey, besides having a survey, they also had three re-surveys by reference period.

This publication contains detailed information on employment and unemployment by age, gender, employment status, economic activity, occupation and other similar issues related to the labor market.

According to the results of this publication, two-thirds of the population in Kosovo is a working age population. The working age population includes the ages of 15-64 years.

Within the working age population, the rate of participation in the workforce is 40.4%.

The employment rate in the Labor Force Survey in the second quarter (Q2) of 2018 is 28.5%.

The highest employment rate is to males (44.8%), while female employment is 12.0%. Females are mainly employed in education, trade and healthcare sectors, with 52.8% of them, while males are mostly employed in trade, construction and manufacturing sectors by 41.5%.

Economic sectors that continue to employ continue to be: trade with 16.8%; education with 11.7%, construction with 11.6%; as well as manufacturing by 9.5%. Meanwhile, other sectors participate with the lowest percentage in employment.

Concerning contracted employees, it emerges that 20.4% of employed persons have permanent contracts in their main job, while 79.6% have a temporary contract.

According to the LFS results, in Q2 2018 the unemployment rate is 29.4%.

The most pronounced unemployment is to females by 30.6%, compared with males, 29.1%. The most pronounced unemployment rate is in the age group of 15-24 with 55.0%.

According to the LFS results, in Q2 2018 the inactive workforce is quite high at 59.6%, with a focus on females at 82.6%, compared to males at 36.9%.

For the implementation of LFS Q2 2018, the methodology and standards applied by KAS are harmonized with recommendations of the Eurostat.