694,200 unemployed Jamaicans who are eligible for work not seeking a job

Durrant Pate/Contributor

The largest occupation group in Jamaica is ‘Services and Sales Workers’ with 338,200 employed individuals, accounting for 24.0 per cent of the total employed population of 1,409,000.

Based on the latest Labour Force Survey (LFS), the third release since the revision of the survey, this group also had the largest number of employed females, 224,400. This is nearly twice as many as the 113,800 males employed in this group. 

Based on the July 2024 LFS, released last week by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), the second largest group is ‘Skilled Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Workers’ with 190,500 workers. This is followed by ‘Elementary Occupations’ in which 185,900 persons were employed. 

The occupation group ‘Craft and Related Trades Workers’ have the largest employment of males, 154,900. 

Employer among industry groups 

The largest employer among industry groups is ‘Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles’, which provided jobs for 265,200 individuals, amounting to 18.8 per cent of the total workforce. There were slightly more females (54.4 % or 144,200) employed in this industry group. 

The second largest industry group is ‘Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing’, with 201,000 persons employed; males accounting for 74.2 per cent of employees in the sector. 

Persons outside the labour force

For persons outside the labour force meaning those eligible to work but not seeking a job, there are 694,200 such individuals with more females (410,800 or 59.2%) than males (283,400 or 40.8%). Of the persons outside the labour force, 32,200 or 4.6 per cent are classified as part of the potential labour force. 

The potential labour force includes individuals seeking employment but not available to work, and those who are available for work but not looking for a job. There currently are 299,800 youth aged 15 to 24 years outside the labour force, of which 147,400 were males and 152,400 were females. 

Youth Not in Employment, Education and Training (NEET), the data shows that one in four (123,200 youths or 25.2%) is neither employed, enrolled in educational activities, nor participating in training (NEET); 63,200 were males and 60,000 were females. 

Labour Underutilisation Rates 

The Labour Underutilisation Rates (LU2) rate, a combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment stood at 5.0 per cent in July 2024, reflecting Jamaica’s total unmet employment needs. The LU3 rate, which accounts for individuals, who are either unavailable job seekers or available but not actively seeking work closed on 5.7 per cent. 

The LU4 rate is 7.0 per cent, representing the proportion of individuals who were either time-related underemployed, unemployed, or part of the potential labour force.