A dramatic decline in the number of healthcare workers from Bosnia and Herzegovina who found employment in Germany was recorded in the past year. According to official data from the Agency for Labour and Employment of Bosnia and Herzegovina, only 64 healthcare workers with secondary education found jobs in this European country in 2025, a significant drop compared to 223 workers in 2024.
Experts and analysts warn that this trend does not necessarily indicate improved conditions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but rather reflects the slowdown of the European economy, the rising cost of living in Western countries, as well as harsh demographic realities, and the working-age population in Bosnia and Herzegovina is steadily declining.
Decreasing Interest in the Slovenian Labour Market
In addition to Germany, the Agency also mediates employment in Slovenia, which has traditionally been one of the most open labour markets for citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, a decline has been recorded there as well. In 2025, 12,295 work permits were issued to workers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, compared to 13,436 permits issued the previous year.
While employment in Germany through the Agency primarily involves healthcare professionals, Slovenia is seeking a much wider range of skilled workers. The highest demand remains for welders, drivers, masons, facade workers and locksmiths, although a decline in the number of issued permits has also been recorded in these sectors.
Why Is the European Union Losing Its Attractiveness?
Goran Motika, president of the Trade Union of Nurses and Medical Technicians of Republika Srpska, explained that the economic outlook of the European Union is rapidly deteriorating.
“Pressures related to the war in Ukraine are affecting their economies, which are slowing down, while wages are no longer increasing at the same pace as before,” Motika said.
As one of the secondary reasons why some workers are choosing to stay, Motika also mentioned that salaries for nurses and medical technicians in Republika Srpska were increased by around 18 percent last year. Although he emphasized that these wages are still very low and that people would not even consider leaving if working conditions were adequate, the modest increase – combined with inflation in the EU – has slowed the emigration trend within this profession.
Employers Warn: Declining Demand Also Creates Problems for Us
Zoran Škrebić, president of the Employers’ Union of Republika Srpska, warned that the decrease in the number of workers leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina does not necessarily indicate a positive domestic trend. Lower demand for labour in the EU is a clear signal of declining economic activity in those markets.
“Since these are our traditional markets where our goods are exported, this means we can also expect negative consequences,” Škrebić said.
Economist Igor Gavran concludes that the decline is directly linked to the worsening economic situation in the European Union, the declining standard of living and rising costs. However, he also highlights a key factor that is often overlooked – so many citizens have already emigrated from Bosnia and Herzegovina that the available population capable of meeting the requirements of foreign labour markets has significantly decreased, according to Nezavisne.
