More entrepreneurs, fewer farmers
The total number of employed persons in Serbia in the second quarter of 2025 amounted to 2,370,103, representing an increase of 0.1 percent compared to the same period last year, according to the latest data from the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia.
Thus, total employment rose by 2,933 individuals – or 0.1 percent. However, it is noticeable that entrepreneurship is on the rise in the labour market, while the number of agricultural workers is decreasing.
The majority of the employed still consist of workers in legal entities, totalling 1,898,531. However, compared to the second quarter of the previous year, their number has slightly decreased – by 485.
On the other hand, there are now more entrepreneurs than before. More precisely, the number of entrepreneurs, persons employed by them, and individuals who independently carry out an activity stands at 425,321. Compared to the same period last year, this marks an increase of 7,070 individuals, or around 1.7 percent.
However, the number of agricultural workers continues to decline. Official data show that there are just over 46,000 registered individual farmers in Serbia. Over the course of a year, this number has decreased by as much as 7.3 percent, or 3,652 individuals.
This is not surprising, considering that farmers often complain about various issues for which the state has not provided adequate solutions.
When the data for the second quarter of this year is compared with the first quarter, a similar trend can be observed. Employment increased by 5,209 individuals, or 0.2 percent.
Entrepreneurs again dominate in this case. Within this group of employed persons, the largest increase can be seen – by 5,026 individuals, or 1.2 percent.
The number of farmers once again declined. Specifically, the number of agricultural workers in the second quarter compared to the first dropped by 882 individuals, or 1.9 percent.
On the other hand, when considering those employed in legal entities – their number rose slightly. The number of employed in this category increased by 1,065 individuals, or 0.1 percent.
Biggest decline in clothing factories
The highest year-on-year increase in employment (in percentage terms) was recorded in the sector of protective and investigative activities, at 27.7 percent. This was followed by information service activities with a growth of 13.5 percent, and repair and installation of machinery and equipment with a growth of 9.9 percent.
The biggest decline was recorded in architectural and engineering activities (17.7 percent), leather and leather products manufacturing (15.4), and clothing manufacturing (12.2).
This trend is not surprising, given that foreign factories in Serbia are increasingly closing their plants, leaving workers unemployed. The clothing industry has not been spared either, as Benetton announced the closure of its factory in Niš at the beginning of the year.
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