Unemployment rate in Serbia
Serbia: Unemployment rate was 7.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment rate in Serbia, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Serbia recorded 7.1% for unemployment rate in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
The figure is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 59.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment rate in Serbia peaked at 24.0% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 7.1%, in 2025.
That places Serbia 61st out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment rate in Serbia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 13.4% | — |
| 1992 | 13.4% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 13.4% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 13.4% | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 13.4% | -0.0% |
| 1996 | 13.2% | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 13.8% | +4.5% |
| 1998 | 13.7% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 13.7% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 12.6% | -8.0% |
| 2001 | 12.8% | +1.6% |
| 2002 | 13.8% | +7.8% |
| 2003 | 15.2% | +10.1% |
| 2004 | 18.5% | +21.7% |
| 2005 | 20.9% | +12.7% |
| 2006 | 20.9% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 18.1% | -13.4% |
| 2008 | 13.7% | -24.3% |
| 2009 | 16.1% | +17.9% |
| 2010 | 19.2% | +19.2% |
| 2011 | 23.0% | +19.6% |
| 2012 | 24.0% | +4.5% |
| 2013 | 22.2% | -7.7% |
| 2014 | 19.2% | -13.2% |
| 2015 | 17.7% | -8.1% |
| 2016 | 15.3% | -13.6% |
| 2017 | 13.5% | -11.7% |
| 2018 | 12.7% | -5.5% |
| 2019 | 10.4% | -18.4% |
| 2020 | 9.0% | -13.3% |
| 2021 | 9.8% | +9.2% |
| 2022 | 8.4% | -14.3% |
| 2023 | 8.3% | -2.0% |
| 2024 | 7.2% | -12.4% |
| 2025 | 7.1% | -1.6% |
Serbia compared with similar countries
- Serbia's 7.1% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.6%, 1.3× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Serbia's 7.1% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 5.6%, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 13.5% | 13.2% | 13.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 16.2% | 12.6% | 20.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.7% | 10.4% | 24.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.3% | 7.1% | 9.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Serbia
More work & labour data for Serbia
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.7737 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.7205 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.8268 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.14 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.1128 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,121 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 2,326 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 1,850 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 1,852 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 3,702 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment rate in Serbia?
- Unemployment rate in Serbia was 7.1% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest unemployment rate recorded in Serbia?
- The highest recorded value was 24.0% in 2012.
- What is the lowest unemployment rate recorded in Serbia?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.1% in 2025.
- How does Serbia rank for unemployment rate?
- Serbia ranks 61st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment rate rising or falling in Serbia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 59.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Serbia data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Unemployment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the labor force without work, but actively looking for a job and available to start soon.