Jamaica’s overall labour force increased by 23,500 or 1.7 per cent to 1,373,800 persons, as at April 2023 – 3.4 per cent increase over the comparative period in 2022. Males accounted for 730,000 of these persons, an increase of 4,700 or 0.6 per cent, while the female complement soared by 18,800 persons or three percentage points to 643,800.
The country’s unemployment rate plunged to a new record low 4.5 per cent as at April 2023. The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) Labour Force Survey shows that the number of unemployed persons fell by 19,700 or 24.3 per cent to 61,300.
Jamaica’s unemployment rate plunged to a new record low 4.5 per cent as at April 2023, continuing the declining trend in recent years.
This is 1.6 percentage points below the out-turn for the same period last year, the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) informs.
The Institute’s Labour Force Survey shows that the number of unemployed persons fell by 19,700 or 24.3 per cent to 61,300.
A breakdown of this out-turn shows that the number of unemployed males decreased by 8,900 or 26.3 percentage points to 24,900, to record an unemployment rate of 3.4 per cent, down from 4.7 per cent .
The number of unemployed females dropped from 47,200 to 36,400 to record an unemployment rate of 5.7 per cent, down from 7.6 per cent.
The unemployment rate among youth, 14-24 years, decreased by 3.3 percentage points to 12.2 per cent. The rate for males averaged 12 per cent, with the female equivalent being 12.3 per cent.
Commensurately, the number of employed Jamaicans climbed by 43,300 or 3.4 per cent to 1,312,600.
Of this number, there were 705,200 males, representing an increase of 13,600 or two per cent. The female out-turn was 607,400, equating to an increase of 29,700 or 5.1 per cent.
The largest increase in the employed labour force by industry group, 141,600 persons, was recorded in ‘Real Estate and Other Business Services’. Females accounted for 71.2 per cent or 10,900 of this increase.
Meanwhile the largest increase by occupation group was recorded in the ‘Service Workers and Shop and Market Sales Workers’ category, which accounted for 311,600 persons. This was 9.8 per cent of 27,700 persons more than the corresponding figure last year.
Male employment in this group rose by 11,000 or 10.7 per cent, while the female equivalent climbed by 16,700 or 9.2 per cent.
The overall labour force increased by 23,500 or 1.7 per cent to 1,373,800 persons. Males accounted for 730,000 of these persons, an increase of 4,700 or 0.6 per cent, while the female complement soared by 18,800 persons or three percentage points to 643,800.
