Labour force survey was carried out for the 13th time in BiH in April 2018, in the sample of 10.647 households in BiH, where in Federation BiH were 5.969 households, in the Republika Srpska were 3.613 and in Brcko district BiH were 1.065 households. The interview was carried out with all individuals usually living in the selected households who accepted the interview.
Nonresponse rate was 27,5%. In BiH interview was accepted in 7.722 households. Data collected from these households relate to economic activity and other characteristics of the taget population.
According to these data in BiH labour force numbered 1.007.902 persons and there were 1.387.837 inactive persons. Among the labour force there were 822.446 persons in employment and 185.465 unemployed persons. Among persons in employment there were 30.702 unpaid family workers.
The unemployment rate in LFS 2018 was 18,4% (17,2% for men and 20,3% for women), and in the same period of 2017 the rate was 20,5% (18,9% for men and 23,1% for women). The unemployment rate was the highest among young persons aged 15 to 24 years. It was 38,8% (35,4% for men and 45,5% for women).
The activity and employment rates in LFS 2018 were 42,1% and 34,3%, while in the same period 2017 year that were 42,6% and 33,9%. Both rates were higher for men than for women. The activity and employment rates for men were 53,2% and 44,1%, and for women were 31,4% and 25%.
The activity and the employment rates were by far the highest in the age group 25 to 49 years (73% i 58,9%).
Data show that half of the working age population in BiH (42,1%) were active persons, that is, persons who participate in the labour market as employed or unemployed.
The educational structure of persons in employment shows that the 68,2% persons have finished the secondary school, followed by persons who have graduated from college, university or have postgraduate degrees 16,9% and persons who finished the basic or lower education 14,8%.
The educational structure of unemployed persons shows that the 71,8% persons have finished the secondary school, followed by persons who finished the basic or lower education 14,9% and persons who have graduated from college, university or have postgraduate degrees 13,3%.
At the same time, data from the Labour Force Survey show that inactive persons older than 15 have lower educational structure. Amongst them, there are almost 52,6% of persons with basic or lower education, 42,4% with secondary school and remaining 5% have graduated from college, university or have a postgraduate degree.
The structure of persons in employment by status in employment shows persons in paid employment present by far the largest share 78,6%. The share of self-employed persons is 17,6%. The share of unpaid family workers was 3,7%.
The structure of persons in employment by sectors of activity shows that 52,1% of them worked in services, than in industry and construction 32,1% and 15,7% in agriculture, forestry and fishing.
In the observed period 17,2% unemployed persons sought work for less than 12 months, but 82% unemployed persons sought work for 1 year or more, what is the result of economic situation and transitional period in our country after the war.
The structure in unemployment among persons with completed elementary school and less was approximately 18,5% and with secondary school 19,2%. The lowest unemployment was among persons with a university degree 15,1%.
(Source: bhas)
