The Kosovo Agency of Statistics (KAS) has published the Results of the Labour Force Survey (LFS) in the first quarter of 2021 (Q1 2021).

According to the results, two thirds of the population in Kosovo are working age population. The working age population includes the age 15-64 year-old. Within the working age population, the rate of the participation in labour force is 39.5%.

The employment rate in the Labour Force Survey in the first quarter of 2021 is 29.3%.

The highest employment is to males (42.8%), while employment among females is at 15.9%.

Females are employed, mainly in the sectors of education, trade and health care, with 53.0%, while males are mainly employed in the sectors of construction, trade and manufacturing with 43.1%.

Economic sectors that leas with employment continue to be: trade with 16.8%; manufacturing by 12.4%; education by 11.1%; and construction by 9.4%. While other sectors participate with a lower percentage in employment.

Regarding employees with contracts, it turns out that 44.0% of employees have a permanent contract in their main job, while 56.0% have a temporary contract.

According to LFS results, in Q1 2021 the unemployment rate is 25.8%.

Unemployment is most pronounced among females at 29.7%, compared to males at 24.2%. The most pronounced unemployment rate is in the age group 15-24 at 48.6%.

According to the LFS results, in Q1 2021, inactive workforce is quite high, at 60.5%, with particular focus on females at 77.3%, compared to males, at 43.5%.

For the implementation of LFS in Q1 2021, the methodology and standards applied by KAS are harmonized with the recommendations of Eurostat.