Many chronicles and the Roma themselves state that the Roma in the Balkans first became famous for being blacksmiths. It is known that the Ottomans held the Roma blacksmiths in high esteem. They were attached to the army and had to pay less poll tax. Other Roma craftsmen during the Ottoman times had organised themselves in guilds.

Until the mass expulsion, which happened under the very eyes of Kfor, thousands of Roma in Kosovo were working in all kinds of trades and professions. Some, like a butcher in Vucitrin, were famous all over Kosovo.

Many were working in the mines. Some traditional trades like that of the spoon maker or the tinker have died out. Young Roma today are technicians and engineers. But many Roma were often unemployed. The ethnic quota rarely allowed getting a good job: ten openings in the public administration or industry had to be filled with five Albanians, three Serbs and two members of the numerous small minorities. Later, during the conflict between Albanians and Serbs, many Roma lost their jobs if they did not take sides for the locally stronger group.