Kosovo’s labor market continues to be marked by irregular contracts, violations of workers’ rights, and job insecurity. Yet, alongside this reality, a small segment mainly the technology sector linked to international companies is operating under a very different logic: higher competitive salaries, flexible working hours, and clearer work standards. This contrast is creating two increasingly distinct realities within the same labor market.
For 26-year-old Fatjona Topanica, a new mother and network engineer, the hybrid work model is not a luxury but a necessity. She works for a Kosovar company providing services to the American market and says the flexibility allows her to balance her career and family life.
“I’ve been with this company for over three years, mainly because hybrid work fits me as a new mother. It allows me to spend more time with my child and manage family life more easily. At my previous job, this was not possible,” she says.
Fatjona’s experience is not isolated. Kosovo’s technology sector is emerging as a concrete example of how cooperation with international companies directly improves working conditions.
According to Vjollca Çavolli, Director of STIKK Kosovo, the sector’s early orientation toward foreign markets and the competition for talent have pushed companies to adopt modern work practices faster: performance-based evaluations, role transparency, investment in professional development, and more open organizational cultures.
“Collaboration with international companies has brought standardized expectations from work policies to project management and professional communication. This has created positive pressure for higher salaries, flexibility, and a focus on worker well-being,” Çavolli explains.
She adds that remote and hybrid models could serve as examples for other sectors, as long as the work is digital and results are measurable. However, she emphasizes that the key lies in a management culture focused on performance, not just physical presence.
For Lind Hetemi, moving from a local company to a German tech firm marked a radical change in his work experience.
“Previously, we worked without regular contracts and without pay for overtime. Now, I have a better salary, transparency, and a sense of security for the future. It motivates you to grow professionally,” he says.
Similarly, Edita Muharremi, who works remotely from Kosovo for an Austrian company, shares her experience.
“I have a contract, my salary is on time, working hours are respected. Vacations are planned, overtime is paid. It’s the first time I feel that my work is professionally valued,” she says.
But while a small number of workers experience this new reality, most continue to face systematic violations of their rights.
Data from the Labor Inspectorate for 2024 show that the problem remains widespread. That year alone, 1,722 violations were recorded regarding worker compensation, 1,192 cases related to annual leave, and 1,095 cases of employment termination. Weekend work, overtime, and work on public holidays remain persistent issues.
Gresa (name changed for privacy) is one worker who turned to the Labor Inspectorate after her indefinite contract was abruptly terminated on the same day without legal procedure.
After a period of verbal promises for a pay raise and improved conditions, she faced immediate termination following two absences for family health reasons, which she says she had notified in advance.
The Inspectorate ruled in her favor and fined the employer.
“Today I work for a German company and feel much more respected. Businesses in Kosovo still do not understand what organizational culture really means,” she says.
Parallel to these developments, Kosovo’s services exports are showing steady growth
In 2024, they reached €3.36 billion, while information technology service exports amounted to €348.4 million. These figures position the technology sector as one of the main engines of the economy.
However, the sector’s influence on the broader labor market remains limited.
While technology is proving that dignified work is possible in Kosovo, most workers continue to live with insecurity and legal violations. The question is no longer whether standards exist they are already applied by international companies but whether the state and local businesses are willing to turn these exceptions into the rule.
Agnesa Qorri is a journalist focused on women’s rights. She completed her studies in Mass Communication and Journalism and has been working in journalism since 2016. During her career, she has been part of several media outlets, including programs broadcast on Klan Kosova. She is the author and producer of the podcast Equal Voices.
This article was written within the framework of the Decent Work platform, led by the Musine Kokalari Institute for Social Policy and the Center for Emancipation Policies in Serbia, a project supported by the European Fund for the Balkans.
The content and views expressed in the article are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Musine Kokalari Institute and the Centre for Emancipation Policies in Serbia.