Unemployment Rate: Serbia
Serbia's unemployment rate is currently 8.6% as of 2026. # Serbia Unemployment Rate Serbia's unemployment rate stands at 8.
Current (2026)
8.6%
+0.0% y/y
Peak (2012)
24.6%
Low (2024)
8.6%
Source
IMF World Economic Outlook
1997–2026 · 34 pts
Unemployment Rate — Serbia
1997 — 2026
Unemployment Rate — Serbia
Analysis# Serbia Unemployment Rate
Serbia's unemployment rate stands at 8.6% in 2026, marking a dramatic recovery from its devastating peak of 24.6% in 2012. Since 1997, the rate has declined 30.1 percentage points, reflecting substantial labor market improvement over three decades. The current figure matches the all-time low recorded in 2024, indicating stabilization at historically favorable levels.
The most significant turning point occurred between 2012 and 2020, when unemployment nearly halved from 24.6% to 9.7%. A brief uptick in 2021 interrupted the downward trend but proved temporary. From 2022 onward, the rate has remained exceptionally stable, hovering between 8.6% and 9.5%. Projections through 2026 suggest continued stability at 8.6%, indicating Serbia has successfully transitioned from crisis-era unemployment to a normalized labor market.
Historical Data
34 Rows| Year | Value | Change % |
|---|---|---|
| 2030 | 8.2% | -1.20% |
| 2029 | 8.3% | -1.19% |
| 2028 | 8.4% | -1.18% |
| 2027 | 8.5% | -1.16% |
| 2026 | 8.6% | +0.00% |
| 2025 | 8.6% | +0.00% |
| 2024 | 8.6% | -8.51% |
| 2023 | 9.4% | -1.05% |
| 2022 | 9.5% | -14.41% |
| 2021 | 11.1% | +14.43% |
| 2020 | 9.7% | -14.16% |
| 2019 | 11.3% | -17.52% |
| 2018 | 13.7% | -5.52% |
| 2017 | 14.5% | -11.59% |
| 2016 | 16.4% | -13.23% |
| 2015 | 18.9% | -8.25% |
| 2014 | 20.6% | -10.43% |
| 2013 | 23.0% | -6.50% |
| 2012 | 24.6% | +4.24% |
| 2011 | 23.6% | +18.00% |
Show all 34 rows
| Year | Value | Change % |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 20.0% | +18.34% |
| 2009 | 16.9% | +17.36% |
| 2008 | 14.4% | -23.40% |
| 2007 | 18.8% | -12.96% |
| 2006 | 21.6% | -0.92% |
| 2005 | 21.8% | +11.79% |
| 2004 | 19.5% | +21.88% |
| 2003 | 16.0% | +10.34% |
| 2002 | 14.5% | +18.85% |
| 2001 | 12.2% | +0.83% |
| 2000 | 12.1% | -9.02% |
| 1999 | 13.3% | +3.91% |
| 1998 | 12.8% | +4.07% |
| 1997 | 12.3% | — |
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