The Kosovo Agency of Statistics (KAS) has published the Results of the Labour Force Survey (LFS) in the first quarter of 2020.

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic that gripped the Republic of Kosovo (mid-March 2020), the results of the Labor Force Survey for Q1 2020 were not published according to the planned date, as KAS has not been able to continue the collection of data in the field from 16 March 2020, and after the facilitation of some measures by the Government, from 22 June 2020 has resumed the collection of data in the field to complete the data for the first quarter and continued until 05 July 2020.

The impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on labor market data is expected to be pronounced in Q2 2020 while in Q1 2020 some businesses did not close their activities (Pandemic start) and the impact on the first quarter was very low.

As the survey is according to the rotation of the sample (repeatable) with panels, the most representative data will be available in the final report for 2020.

According to the results of this publication, two thirds of the population in Kosovo are working age population. The working age population includes age 15-64 years. Within the working age population, the labour force participation rate is 38.8%.

The employment rate in the Labour Force Survey (LFS) in the first quarter 2020 (Q1 2020) is 29.1%.

The highest employment is for male 44.0%, while employment for female is 14.1%. Females are employed mainly in the sectors of education, trade and health care, with 55.5%, while males are mainly employed in the sectors of trade, construction and manufacturing, with 43.2%.

The leading economic sectors with employment continue to be: trade with 17.1%; manufacture by 12.0%, education by 10.7%, and construction by 10.6%. While other sectors participate with a lower percentage in employment.

Regarding employees with contracts, it turns out that 39.5% of employees have a permanent contract in their main job, while 60.5% have a temporary contract.

According to LFS results, in Q1 2020, the unemployment rate is 25.0%.

Unemployment is most pronounced among females with 30.6%, compared to males, 23.0%. The most pronounced unemployment rate is in the age group 15-24 with 46.4%.

According to LFS results, in Q1 2020, inactive labour force is quite high at 61.2%, with a particular focus on females at 79.7%, compared to males at 42.9%.

For the implementation of LFS Q1 2020, the methodology and standards applied by KAS are harmonized with the recommendations of Eurostat.