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Labour · Europe & Central Asia · Upper-middle income

Montenegro: the labour market

Labour force is 296,618 (2025), 167th of 187 in the world and 47th of 49 in Europe & Central Asia. Participation rate is 58.0% (2025), 119th of 187 in the world and 31st of 49 in Europe & Central Asia. Women's participation is 51.2% (2025), 112th of 187 in the world and 33rd of 49 in Europe & Central Asia.

Labour force296,6182025 · world 167/187 · region 47/49Participation rate58.0%2025 · world 119/187 · region 31/49Women's participation51.2%2025 · world 112/187 · region 33/49Employment rate50.1%2025 · world 141/187 · region 39/49
Labour force
Montenegro
220,000240,000260,000280,000300,0001995200020052010201520202025Montenegro296,618
Participation rate
MontenegroEurope & Central AsiaUpper-middle incomeWorld
40%50%60%70%80%1995200020052010201520202025Montenegro58.0%Europe & Central AsiaUpper-middle incomeWorld
13 indicators

Labour: Montenegro in detail

Latest reported value, world rank and rank within Europe & Central Asia; values around 2000, 2010, 2020; group and world columns are World Bank aggregates.

IndicatorLatestWorld rankIn region~2000~2010~202010-year changeRegionIncome groupWorldSince 2000
Labour forceLabour force, total296,6182025167/18747/49232,893241,466257,436+11%since 2015429m1.5bn3.7bn
Participation rateLabour force participation, % of 15+58.0%2025119/18731/4949.3%48.3%50.4%+5.6 ppsince 201558.2%62.7%61.0%
Women's participationFemale labour force participation, % of women 15+51.2%2025112/18733/4942.4%41.6%43.3%+5.1 ppsince 201551.1%53.4%48.9%
Employment rateEmployment to population ratio, 15+ (ILO)50.1%2025141/18739/4934.3%38.8%41.4%+6.9 ppsince 201555.1%59.5%58.1%
UnemploymentUnemployment, % of labour force (ILO)13.6%202519/1871/4930.4%19.6%17.9%−4.0 ppsince 20155.4%5.2%4.8%
Female unemploymentFemale unemployment, % of female labour force (ILO)14.2%202526/1871/4935.6%20.7%18.4%−3.1 ppsince 20155.7%5.1%4.9%
Youth unemploymentYouth unemployment, ages 15–24 (ILO)24.4%202534/1878/4955.6%36.7%36.2%−13.3 ppsince 201514.0%15.6%13.4%
Youth NEET rateYouth not in education, employment or training, %14.2%2024112/17014/46·16.3%201121.1%−3.5 ppsince 201411.4%17.3%—
Wage workersWage and salaried workers, % of total employment82.6%202555/18732/4981.9%83.8%78.5%+3.5 ppsince 201583.3%61.3%53.6%
Vulnerable employmentVulnerable employment, % of total employment (ILO)14.3%2025133/18718/4915.6%13.6%18.0%−3.2 ppsince 201512.9%34.8%42.4%
Jobs in agricultureEmployment in agriculture, % of total employment4.2%2025138/18725/499.7%5.6%7.5%−3.5 ppsince 20156.7%19.8%25.8%
Jobs in industryEmployment in industry, % of total employment18.2%2025106/18736/4924.1%18.5%18.4%+0.8 ppsince 201523.7%27.7%23.7%
Jobs in servicesEmployment in services, % of total employment77.6%202531/18714/4966.2%75.9%74.1%+2.8 ppsince 201569.7%52.4%50.6%
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (CC BY 4.0)“·” — no value reported within two years of that date. World rank counts countries with a recent value.

Better than ten years ago

Worse than ten years ago

No rated indicator got worse over the decade.

Only indicators where higher or lower is clearly better are rated (for example, unemployment down is better, life expectancy up is better).

neighbours

Montenegro and its neighbours

Countries sharing a land border with Montenegro. Latest values since 2005; the highest in each row is marked.

IndicatorMontenegroSerbiaCroatiaBosnia and HerzegovinaAlbaniaKosovo
Labour force296,61820253.3m20251.7m20251.3m20251.3m2025—
Participation rate58.0%202559.1%202552.1%202549.0%202564.3%2025—
Women's participation51.2%202552.6%202547.4%202539.2%202558.6%2025—
Employment rate50.1%202554.9%202549.5%202543.6%202557.2%2025—
Unemployment13.6%20257.1%20255.0%202511.0%202510.9%2025—
Female unemployment14.2%20257.5%20255.1%202513.3%202511.2%2025—
Youth unemployment24.4%202520.9%202516.5%202528.2%202525.6%2025—
Youth NEET rate14.2%202412.7%20259.0%202514.5%202521.0%202430.0%2024
Wage workers82.6%202573.0%202587.3%202577.9%202549.7%2025—
Serbia: labourCroatia: labourBosnia and Herzegovina: labourAlbania: labour
Labour in Europe & Central Asiaall 58 economies rankedLabour: upper-middle-income countries59 economies rankedLabour: world leaderboardstop and bottom countriesMontenegro: all key statisticscountry profile