At the end of March, there were 29,970 people registered as unemployed with the Employment Agency of Montenegro. This is 6,700 fewer than in the same period last year and about 3,000 fewer than at the end of last year. Among the registered unemployed, 4,000 hold university degrees, including 15 individuals with a PhD. There are 11,700 unskilled or semi-skilled workers, while 15,200 have completed secondary education.
A total of 18,600 people have been unemployed for more than three years. Another 4,600 have been registered between one and three years, while 6,700 have been unemployed for less than a year. The largest age group among the unemployed is between 51 and 60 years old, with 7,200 people. There are 4,000 people over 60 on the list, 7,000 between 41 and 50, and 6,600 between 31 and 40. Additionally, 2,700 are aged 25 to 30, and around 2,500 are under the age of 25.
The current unemployment rate stands at 10.59%, down from 13.27% at the same time last year. From January to the end of March, employers posted 6,742 job vacancies through the Employment Agency. Of those, 5,994 were for fixed-term contracts, and 748 for permanent positions. In the same period last year, there were 7,195 job postings 453 more than this year.
During the first three months of 2025, employers sought 2,348 candidates with university degrees, 977 unskilled or semi-skilled workers, and 4,394 with secondary school diplomas. In total, 2,576 people were hired through the Employment Agency during this period, including 1,522 women. Of those employed, 333 were unskilled or semi-skilled, 1,302 had finished secondary school, and 941 held university degrees including three PhD holders.
While the drop in overall unemployment is a good sign, what stands out most is how many people remain stuck in long-term unemployment especially older workers and those without formal qualifications. It’s also striking that a fairly large number of university graduates, even PhDs, are still struggling to find work.
Another issue is the imbalance between temporary and permanent jobs. The majority of positions offered are short-term, which doesn’t provide much stability or long-term security. This can make it hard for people especially younger workers and families to plan their future.
The data gives a clear message: progress is being made, but challenges remain, especially around job quality, long-term unemployment, and matching people’s qualifications with what the market is offering.
It also makes you think about how can we create not just more jobs, but better ones. And how can we support those who’ve been out of the workforce for years to find meaningful opportunities again?
Written by our correspondent A.A.
