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Unemployment Benefits in Bosnia & Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina's two entities each run their own employment institute that pays a cash benefit to insured workers who lost their job through no fault of their own; in Republika Srpska it is paid for 1 to 18 months.
✓ From official pages ✓ Each part says when we checked
At a glance
Employment Institute of Republika Srpska (Завод за запошљавање Републике Српске); in the Federation, the Federal and cantonal employment services
The job market in Bosnia & Herzegovina
The International Labour Organization's estimates put Bosnia & Herzegovina 153rd lowest of 183 countries for unemployment in 2025; the world's rate was 4.9%.
Bosnia & Herzegovina's unemployment rate over the years · every country, ranked
What to do first
- Register with the public employment service, Zavod za zapošljavanje Republike Srpske. Official page
- Apply for Cash benefit during unemployment (Новчана накнада): register with the employment institute's office and apply there. Official page
- Keep up with the job-search rule while you claim (below), and keep a record of where you applied.
Cash benefit during unemployment (Новчана накнада)
Who can get it. Republika Srpska: workers dismissed by the employer through no fault of their own (or whose employer ceased operating), insured against unemployment for more than 12 months, continuously or with breaks, in the last 18 months.
For how long. Republika Srpska: 1 to 18 months depending on insurance time, from one month (over 12 months) to 18 months (over 35 years).
How to claim. Register with the employment institute's office and apply there.
From an official page, read October 26, 2026.
Looking for work while you claim
In Republika Srpska an unemployed person registered with the Employment Institute has a duty to actively look for work, follow the labour market and keep informed about vacancies.
- Register with the local office (biro) of the Employment Institute of Republika Srpska
- Actively look for work
From an official page, read October 26, 2026.
Keep my work search record for Bosnia & Herzegovina
Free. It lists where you applied and what else you did to look for work, each line ready to copy into the form you report on. It is your own record: we send nothing to any government.
Help finding work
- The public employment service: Zavod za zapošljavanje Republike Srpske
Questions
Is there unemployment benefit in Bosnia & Herzegovina?
Yes: Cash benefit during unemployment (Новчана накнада), paid by Employment Institute of Republika Srpska (Завод за запошљавање Републике Српске); in the Federation, the Federal and cantonal employment services.
How long does unemployment benefit last in Bosnia & Herzegovina?
Republika Srpska: 1 to 18 months depending on insurance time, from one month (over 12 months) to 18 months (over 35 years).
How do I claim unemployment benefit in Bosnia & Herzegovina?
Register with the employment institute's office and apply there.
Do I have to look for work while I claim in Bosnia & Herzegovina?
In Republika Srpska an unemployed person registered with the Employment Institute has a duty to actively look for work, follow the labour market and keep informed about vacancies.
Where can I get help finding a job in Bosnia & Herzegovina?
The public employment service is Zavod za zapošljavanje Republike Srpske.
Nearby countries
Albania
Croatia
Gibraltar
Greece
Italy
Kosovo
Malta
Montenegro
North Macedonia
Portugal
San Marino
Serbia
Slovenia
Spain
Vatican City
Where this comes from
Every part of this page was read on an official website, and each links the page it came from and the day we checked it. Rules and amounts change, so check that page before you rely on a figure. Jobareer is not part of any government and cannot see or change a claim.
See also: unemployment rate by country · Bosnia & Herzegovina's unemployment rate · unemployment in the US, state by state.