Bosnia records record long‑term unemployment in Herzegovina and Prijedor regions

In June 2026 the Employment Service of the Hercegovačko‑Neretvanska county recorded 22,755 unemployed persons, of whom 6,662 (29.3%) had been waiting for a job for more than nine years. Women made up over 60% of this long‑term group. The majority are qualified workers with three‑year vocational training, including sellers, cooks, hairdressers, locksmiths, auto‑mechanics and drivers. Employers indicated a need for 140 workers, while 703 people secured employment through the service.

In Prijedor, the Republic of Srpska Employment Agency listed 4,429 unemployed, a rise of 195 (4.7%) from the previous year, linked to the closure of the "Nova Ljubija" mine and the "Dubikoton" factory. The fastest‑hiring sectors are construction, hospitality and trade, with demand for carpenters, painters, masons, façade workers, machine operators, waiters, cooks and doctors. The agency provides training, counseling, self‑employment support and financial aid to employers hiring the unemployed.