Employment in Kosovo

Employment in Kosovo is usually based on a dependent employment relationship: the worker performs agreed duties for an employer in return for pay. The public and private sectors use different recruitment practices, and opportunities vary by region and sector. APRK vacancy filters cover Prishtinë, Prizren, Pejë, Gjakovë, Gjilan, Mitrovicë and Ferizaj. Trade, construction, manufacturing, education, public administration, health, hospitality, transport and telecommunications are among the sectors with substantial employment. ASK reported for 2024 an employment rate of 38.6%, unemployment of 10.8%, inactivity of 56.8% and youth unemployment of 19.5%. These figures describe the labour market as a whole and do not predict an individual applicant's prospects. The Employment Agency of the Republic of Kosovo (APRK) provides online vacancy services and operates local employment offices, commonly called ZP. A registered jobseeker can create an APRK account, search vacancies and apply directly. A visit to a ZP can include registration, an interview, profiling in the SIMP system, counselling, career guidance, job mediation and labour-market information. QAP training centres provide vocational training pathways. APRK-reviewed listings also include Kosovo Job, Portal Pune, Telegrafi and Duapune. Directly sending a CV to an employer and using social or professional networks remain common practical alternatives. The reviewed APRK service information did not state a candidate-side service fee. Employment normally begins at age 18 or later. A 15- to 17-year-old may work only in light, non-hazardous work that does not threaten health, safety, development or school attendance. Both parties should sign a written Kontrata e Punës, or employment contract. It should identify the employer and worker, duties, workplace, working hours and schedule, start date, duration, base salary and supplements, leave and termination conditions. The contract may be indefinite, fixed-term or for a specific task. If the duration is not specified, the relationship is treated as indefinite. A fixed-term contract may last up to 10 years, while a specific-task arrangement may last up to 120 days in a year. Part-time workers receive rights in proportion to their working hours where the law permits proportional treatment. A probation period exists only when the contract includes it and may last no more than six months. During probation, either party may generally end the arrangement with seven days' notice. A trainee arrangement is distinct from ordinary employment: training connected with higher education may last up to one year, and training connected with secondary education up to six months. An unpaid internship can exist only with safety protection and does not automatically provide the ordinary wage and employment rights of dependent employment. The employer normally submits the employee notice in the EDI electronic declaration system one day before work begins. The notice records the start and end dates, full-time or part-time status, education, profession and position. Existing employees must be completed in EDI by 31 October 2026 under the reviewed requirement, and changes must be updated. Workers should request a signed contract, traceable payslips and evidence that tax and pension obligations were handled. The Tax Administration of Kosovo (ATK) administers wage withholding. For a primary employer, the monthly wage-tax bands are 0% up to EUR 250, 8% from EUR 250.01 to EUR 450 and 10% above EUR 450; a secondary employer applies 10%. Employee and employer pension contributions are each at least 5%, with optional contributions of up to 15% each. Monthly wage, withholding and pension declarations and payments are generally due from the first to the fifteenth day of the following month. The worker's net pay is lower than gross pay after applicable tax and pension deductions. Foreign-citizen pension treatment can differ. The reviewed Government decision sets the full-time minimum gross wage at EUR 425 per month from 1 January 2026 and EUR 500 per month from 1 July 2026. Salaries, supplements and compensation must comply with the applicable minimum. The current amount should be checked against any later Gazette amendment or official update. Full-time work is generally 40 hours per week. Workers under 18 may work no more than 30 hours per week. Overtime is limited to eight hours per week except in emergencies, and employers must keep overtime records. Night work runs from 22:00 to 06:00. A worker performing an uninterrupted full working day receives a break of at least 30 minutes; a working day longer than four and shorter than six hours receives at least 15 minutes. Employers should give at least seven days' notice of a schedule change. Overtime supplements are 20% for on-call work, 30% for night work, 30% for overtime, 50% for public holidays and 50% for weekends. Where supplements overlap, they are not added together. Overtime is not allowed for workers under 18, pregnant workers, single parents with a child under three or workers caring for a disabled child. Annual leave is at least four weeks per year, with one additional working day for each five years of service. Hazardous work carries at least 30 working days, and a mother with a child under three, a single parent or a disabled worker receives two additional days under the reviewed rules. The first entitlement normally arises after six months of continuous work; earlier service accrues proportionally. Regular sick leave may reach 20 working days per year at 100% pay. A work injury or professional disease is compensated at 70% for 10 to 90 working days. Paid absence includes five working days for marriage, five for the death of a close family member, three for the birth of a child and one for blood donation. Maternity leave lasts 12 months. The employer pays 70% of the base salary for the first six months, and the Government pays 50% of the Kosovo average salary for the following three months. The worker may take a further three months without pay. Pregnancy, maternity and childcare receive protection against termination, subject to statutory exceptions. Paternity leave includes two paid days and two unpaid weeks that can be used until the child reaches age three, subject to notice requirements. Discrimination is prohibited in recruitment, training, promotion, working conditions, discipline and termination, and forced labour is prohibited. The employer must provide the contract, pay, tax and pension handling, working-time and overtime records, and workplace safety. The worker must comply with the contract and law, perform the agreed duties and follow lawful employer instructions. A collective agreement or trade union can add protections, and public-sector employment may be supplemented by special legislation. Employment can end through events such as death, expiry of a fixed term, reaching age 65, a final incapacity decision, imprisonment exceeding six months, a court decision or bankruptcy or liquidation. A worker gives 15 working days' notice for a fixed-term contract and 30 working days for an indefinite contract. An employer ending an indefinite contract gives 30 calendar days after six months to two years of service, 45 days after two to ten years and 60 days after more than ten years. Fixed-term termination or non-renewal generally requires 30 days' notice. The termination decision must be written and state the reason, and salary and other income due through the termination date must be settled. Collective dismissal rules apply when at least 10% and at least 20 workers are dismissed within six months. An indefinite-contract worker with more than two years of service may qualify for immediate compensation ranging from one to seven monthly salaries according to tenure. Pension and early-pension matters follow separate legislation. A worker who disputes an employment decision can submit a written claim to the employer. The employer should decide within 15 working days and deliver the written decision within eight working days. A labour dispute can then be brought before the competent court within the following 30 working days. A complaint to the Labour Inspectorate can be made at any time for matters within its competence; the Inspectorate should decide within 30 days or notify the worker of an extension. Mediation is also available. Unlawful termination can lead to compensation or reinstatement. Contracts, payslips, EDI records, pension evidence, notices and termination decisions should be preserved. A foreign worker generally needs a work permit or short-term work permit together with the applicable temporary residence status. Work is limited to the approved employer and job, and visa-free short stays do not by themselves permit employment. Applications follow the relevant APRK and Division of Migration Services pathway. Regulated professions may require a prior licence. Legally resident foreign nationals can access employment and vocational training through APRK, but document requirements, fees and processing times depend on the permit and residence category. Employment services, labour-law rules, unemployment benefits and employer-specific duties are separate subjects, even though they can affect a worker's transition into or out of a job.