Western Balkans - Education-to-Work Transition in North Macedonia - Insights from the 2025 Graduate Tracer Survey

Jul 19, 2026

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Policy note synthesizing findings from the 2025 Graduate Tracer Survey on tertiary graduates’ transition from education to employment in North Macedonia, with emphasis on the 2022/23 bachelor’s cohort. Highlights include 67.8% employment but persistent gaps in job quality, inclusion, and alignment with labor market demand. Key issues cover elevated NEET and inactivity (14.8%), gender-linked disadvantages in earnings and job satisfaction, and substantial field-by-field variation, with barriers such as weak job matching, limited work experience, and caregiving constraints.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages58

Reading Time2 h 26 min

AccessFree to download

Overview and Purpose

Survey scope and key results

Key Findings

NEET and inactivity patterns

Gender disparities in labor market outcomes

Field-specific variation

Employment Barriers and Job Quality

Barriers to quality employment

Job mismatch and dissatisfaction

Underutilized support systems

Policy Recommendations

Pub lic Disc losure Authorized Western Balkans Education-to-Work Transition in North Macedonia Insights from the 2025 Graduate Tracer Survey © 2025 The World Bank 1818 H Street NW, Washington DC 20433 Telephone: 202-473-1000; [Internet: ](Internet: www.worldbank.org)[www.worldbank.org](Internet: www.worldbank.org) [Some rights reserved.](Some rights reserved.) This work is a product of The World Bank. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of the Executive Directors of The World Bank or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or currency of the data included in this work and does not assume responsibility for any errors, omissions, or discrepancies in the information, or liability with respect to the use of or failure to use the information, methods, processes, or conclusions set forth. The boundaries, colors, denominations, links/footnotes and other information shown in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. The citation of works authored by others does not mean the World Bank endorses the views expressed by those authors or the content of their works. Nothing herein shall constitute or be construed or considered to be a limitation upon or waiver of the privileges and immunities of The World Bank, all of which are specifically reserved. Rights and Permissions The material in this work is subject to copyright. Because The World Bank encourages dissemination of its knowledge, this work may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for noncommercial purposes as long as full attribution to this work is given. Attribution—Please cite the work as follows: “Brodmann, Stefanie, Bojana Naceva, Cornelius von Lenthe, Zsuzsanna Vadle, Romina Miorelli. 2025. Education-to-Work Transition in North Macedonia: Insights from the 2025 Graduate Tracer Survey. © World Bank.” Any queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to World Bank Publications, The World Bank, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; fax: 202-522-2625; e-mail: [pubrights@worldbank.org](pubrights@worldbank.org). Education-to-Work Transition in North Macedonia: Insights from the 2025 Graduate Tracer Survey 1 June 27, 2025 This policy note is intended to inform (i) data-driven decisions on program quotas and study relevance by the Ministry of Education and Science, (ii) the Government’s upcoming Higher Education Strategy, and (iii) the North Macedonia Growth and Jobs Report (Country Economic Memorandum), which includes in-depth analysis of labor market dynamics, productivity, competitiveness, and emerging workforce vulnerabilities. This policy note analyzes the transition from education to employment among tertiary graduatesin North Macedonia, with a focus on bachelor’s degree recipients from the 2022/23 cohort. Based on the 2025 Graduate Tracer Survey, the findings reveal that while 67.8 percent of graduates are employed, significant gaps remain in employment quality, inclusion, and alignment between qualifications and labor market demand. Key findings include: 􀁸 NEET and inactivity rates: 14.8 percent of graduates are not in employment, education, or training (NEET), with higher rates among women. Within this group, 6.1 percent are fully inactive-not studying, working, or seeking work-often due to caregiving duties or limited availability of quality jobs. 􀁸 Gender disparities: Women face slower labor market entry, lower earnings, and are more likely to work part-time or in flexible jobs. Even when employed in high-skilled roles or within the same field of study, women earn less than men. Women also report lower reservation wages and greater job dissatisfaction linked to financial constraints and job quality. 􀁸 Field-specific variation: Graduate outcomes va

FAQs

What does the 2025 Graduate Tracer Survey reveal about employment among tertiary graduates in North Macedonia?

It shows that 67.8% of graduates are employed, yet significant gaps persist in employment quality, inclusion, and qualification-to-demand alignment.

How do NEET and inactivity rates affect graduates, and are there differences by gender?

NEET and inactivity total 14.8%, with higher rates among women. Within this group, 6.1% are fully inactive and not studying, working, or seeking work, often due to caregiving duties or limited access to quality jobs.

Which study fields have stronger or weaker labor market outcomes?

ICT, Architecture and Design, and Economics, Business and Finance report stronger outcomes, while Arts and Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Education face slower employment transitions, higher NEET rates, and weaker wage prospects.

Jul 19, 2026

Upload by Patrick