Data from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica’s (STATIN) Labour Force Survey (LFS) for October 2025 indicates that the number of people securing employment in high-skilled vocations increased before the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

“There were 126,700 persons employed in the occupation group ‘Clerical Support Workers’ in October 2025, reflecting the largest decrease in employment of 11.2 per cent compared to October 2024. Among ‘Craft and Related Trades Workers’, employment stood at 160,000 persons, representing a decrease of 11,700, of which 8,900 were males,” a release from STATIN outlined.

It continued: “Despite the overall decline, notable gains were recorded among ‘Managers’, where employment increased by 19.3 per cent to 101,400 persons. More persons were also employed as ‘Technicians and Associate Professionals’, resulting in a total of 94,300 in October 2025.”

There was also a notable reduction in the ‘Real Estate and Other Business Services’ industry of 10,400 individuals, resulting in approximately 155,000 individuals employed.  STATIN also highlighted that the second-largest decline in employment occurred in the ‘Arts, Entertainment, Recreation and Other Services’ with 6,400 leaving that segment, and 117,000 remaining.

“What saw some increases [were] accommodation and food service activities, which increased by 7,900, and education, and human health, and social work activities increased by 6,900 persons,” detailed Deputy Director General and Director of Surveys Dr Natalee Simpson during STATIN’s quarterly press briefing at the AC Hotel Kingston on Thursday, January 15, 2026.

Hurricane Melissa interrupts survey

STATIN conducted the LFS October 5–11, 2025, but Hurricane Melissa caused significant disruption to STATIN’s field operations, particularly in the western parishes of St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland, St. James, Hanover, and Trelawny.

As such, the institute implemented an abridged survey, according to Dr Simpson.

“Data collection started October 12th. So, by the time Hurricane Melissa made landfall, we were about two weeks into data collection. What it means then is that we had to pivot, and one of the things that we quickly implemented was an abridged version of the labour force questionnaire, which is consistent with the recommendation from the International Labour Organisation on short modules that can be added to surveys. So, the concepts are measured in the same way,” she noted.

 In the western parishes, STATIN conducted both long-form and shortened questionnaires, then completed several assessments and checks to ensure the consistency and the integrity of the data collected.

“So, the data is robust, and the quality is good. What it also means is that the timelines had to be extended. So, data collection and data processing went two weeks additional,” Dr Simpson added.

Employment keeps steady

The LFS noted that employment levels in October 2025 remained unchanged when compared to the same month in 2024, with 3,800 fewer individuals employed. Notwithstanding, unemployment decreased from 51,300 in the prior year to 48,800.

“These shifts resulted in an unemployment rate of 3.3 per cent compared with 3.5 per cent in October 2024,” the STATIN release explained.

The decrease in unemployment, STATIN outlined, was due to a significant decline in unemployed youth of 2,200. At the same time, the rate of unemployed males remained unchanged while the rate among females fell by 4.2 per cent.

More males, youth outside the labour force

In the meantime, individuals outside the labour force— those not looking for work—rose by 6,300 to 693,800.

There were 11,800 more males outside the labour force and 12,600 more youth not engaged in employment. However, the number of females outside the workforce reduced by 5,500.

“We’re seeing some significant movements, mostly among youth, both in terms of the employed, unemployed, and the outside labour force. And just to note, typically, youth outside the labour force are in school, either part-time or full-time,” Dr Simpson outlined.