Serbia's Q2 2026 employment edges up to 2.36 million despite regional declines

The Republic Statistical Office of Serbia reported that total employment in the second quarter of 2026 reached 2,355,940 persons, a marginal 0.6% decrease compared with the same period in 2025. Of these, 1,884,765 worked for legal entities, 428,550 were employed by entrepreneurs or self‑employed, and 42,625 were registered individual farmers.

Regionally, the south and east saw the sharpest fall, losing 8,722 jobs, while Vojvodina’s workforce fell by 7,121. Belgrade was the only area with a net gain, adding 4,509 workers. The agricultural sector recorded the largest percentage drop, with individual farmers down 7.8%, whereas employment in the entrepreneurial segment grew by 0.8%.