The Kosovo Agency of Statistics (KAS) has published the results of the Labor Force Survey (LFS) for the year of 2017.

The survey has been extended to 598 enumeration areas across the country, where 3 668 households were surveyed, selected according to the random method from the Population, Households and Dwellings Census 2011. Households selected for survey, besides having a survey, they also had three re-surveys according to the reference period.

This publication contains detailed data on employment and unemployment by age, gender, employment status, economic activity, occupation and other related 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 ages 15-64 years old.

Within the working age population, the rate of participation in the workforce is 42.8%.

The employment rate in the Labor Force Survey (LFS) for 2017 is 29.8%.

The highest employment rate is to males (46.6%), while female employment is 12.7%. Females are mainly employed in the education, health care and trade sectors with 48.4% of them, while males are mainly employed in the sectors of construction, trade and manufacturing with 45.9%.

Economic sectors that lead with employment continue to be: trade with 14.7%; production with 13.2%; construction with 12.9%; and education with 9.5%. Meanwhile, other sectors participate with the lowest percentage in employment.

Concerning contracted employees, it turns out that 29.4% of employed persons have permanent contracts in their main job, while 70.6% have a temporary contract.

According to the results of LFS, in 2017, the unemployment rate is 30.5%.

The most pronounced unemployment is among females with 36.6%, compared to males with 28.7%. The most pronounced unemployment rate is in the age group of 15-24 with 52.7%.

According to the results of LFS, in 2017, inactive force is quite high at 57.2%, with a focus on females at 80.0%, compared to males at 34.7%.

For the realization of LFS, for 2017, KAS has applied the methodology and standards harmonized with recommendations of Eurostat.