The number of employees in North Macedonia’s industrial sector declined by 2.9% in September 2026 compared with the same month last year, according to data from the State Statistical Office.
Mining and quarrying registered the sharpest annual decrease, with employment falling by 7.6%. The manufacturing sector, which accounts for the largest share of industrial activity, recorded a 2.9% decline. In contrast, the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply sector was the only major industrial segment to report growth, with the number of employees increasing by 1.5%.
Employment also decreased across all major industrial groups. The number of workers in the production of non-durable consumer goods fell by 4.5%, while capital goods and intermediate goods, excluding energy, both recorded declines of 2.7%. Employment in consumer durables decreased by 1.7%, while the energy group registered a 1.6% drop.
The downward trend is also reflected in the cumulative figures for the year. Between January and September 2026, industrial employment in North Macedonia decreased by 2.8% compared with the corresponding period in 2025, according to the State Statistical Office.
