Labour Migration in the Western Balkans: Mapping Patterns, Addressing Challenges and Reaping Benefits
1. Characteristics of Migration - Trends
WB6 migrants in OECD countries
2010/11 (left)
2015/16 (left)
Emigration rate to OECD (right)
1,200
30%
1,000
25%
800
20%
gg
15%
400
200
10%
5%
0
0%
ALB
BIH
*
KOS
MKD
MNE
SRB
North Macedonia has one of the lowest
emigration rates in the region with 18% of its
population living in OECD countries.
600
First residence permits attained by WB6 citizens in European countries
Thousand
ALB
MKD
BIH
MNE
KOS
SRB
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
2008 2009 2010 2011
2012 2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018 2019
2020
Note: More information is available at Figure 1.3 of the publication Labour Migration In The Western Balkans.
Source: OECD (2016) OECD Database on Immigrants in OECD Countries (DIOC), The Swiss Federal Statistical Office (2022);
Eurostat (2022), Population change - Demographic balance and crude rates at national level [DEMO_GIND].
Emigration to Europe has increased by 1.5 times
between 2011 and 2019.
However, with the COVID-19 pandemic, it declined by
42% in 2020.
Note: European destination countries include EU Member Countries, European Economic Area non-EU countries (Iceland,
Liechtenstein and Norway) and Switzerland.
Source: Eurostat (2021), First permits by reason, length of validity and citizenship [MIGR_RESFIRST]
This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244/99 and the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on Kosovo's declaration of independence.
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