December 3, International Day of Persons with Disabilities, is a moment to reflect on how the labor market addresses the needs of this community. Data from Infostud shows that inclusive job opportunities are declining precisely when they should be increasing.
“When we look only at job postings explicitly marked as available to persons with disabilities, in 2023 there were 4,096 such positions, in 2024 3,434, and so far in 2025 only 3,152 postings. This means the market currently offers 944 fewer inclusive positions than in 2023 and 282 fewer than in 2024, clearly showing that opportunities for employing persons with disabilities are shrinking,” warns Infostud.
The report emphasizes that this decline comes at a time when candidate interest is rising. The average number of applications per inclusive job was 87 in 2023, over 102 in 2024, and has reached 137 in 2025.
“In a situation where opportunities are decreasing while applications are increasing, it is clear that candidates are motivated, actively seeking work, and competition for each inclusive posting grows every month,” Infostud notes.
The reduction is also visible in the share of inclusive postings in the total job market. In 2023, they accounted for 6.37% of all postings, dropping to 5.27% in 2024, and 4.87% in 2025.
“Inclusive job postings are declining not just in numbers but also as a share of Serbia’s overall labor market. Similar trends are seen among young people with disabilities, who are often on the margins of the job market, highlighting their real barriers and challenges in finding initial employment,” Infostud explains.
Despite fewer opportunities, the data shows that inclusive jobs are still most often found in sectors that traditionally employ large numbers of people and have the capacity to adapt roles to candidate needs. In 2025, the highest number of inclusive postings were in:
- Retail – 390 postings
- IT – 383 postings
- Logistics and transportation – 239 postings
- Call centers – 219 postings
- Administrative and service sectors – 368 postings
However, even in these key industries, a decline is evident: retail has 101 fewer postings than the previous year, IT 108 fewer, logistics 66 fewer, and call centers 21 fewer.
Regarding job types, persons with disabilities most often find opportunities in administration, customer support, sales, logistics, call centers, and certain flexible IT roles. These positions provide stability, but the number of opportunities is increasingly limited compared to the growing number of interested candidates.
Infostud stresses that International Day of Persons with Disabilities is not only a reminder of equality and visibility but also a call to seriously address these numbers. The experience of companies like Grafopromet in Kragujevac, which has long employed persons with disabilities, shows that inclusion works best when employers actively integrate it into their operations.
“Inclusion must not be an isolated initiative but part of everyday business decisions. Every job posting marked as accessible to persons with disabilities represents far more than a formal label – it is a real opportunity for equal participation in the labor market. In a year when such opportunities are fewer than before, it is crucial that we work together to expand this space, so that every person who wants to work has a real chance to succeed,” concludes Infostud.
