Employment rate in Barbados
Barbados: Employment rate was 60.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Employment rate in Barbados, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for employment rate in Barbados is 60.5%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and up 2.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, employment rate in Barbados peaked at 64.5% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 51.5%, in 1993.
That places Barbados 70th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Employment rate in Barbados, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 52.9% | — |
| 1992 | 52.2% | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 51.5% | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 52.9% | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 56.0% | +5.8% |
| 1996 | 58.8% | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 58.9% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 60.6% | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 61.9% | +2.2% |
| 2000 | 62.9% | +1.6% |
| 2001 | 62.6% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 62.3% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 61.9% | -0.7% |
| 2004 | 63.4% | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 63.6% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 63.7% | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 64.5% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 63.8% | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 62.2% | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 61.5% | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 61.0% | -0.9% |
| 2012 | 59.7% | -2.0% |
| 2013 | 60.4% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 58.3% | -3.5% |
| 2015 | 59.0% | +1.3% |
| 2016 | 60.6% | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 60.5% | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 60.2% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 59.5% | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 56.4% | -5.1% |
| 2021 | 55.5% | -1.6% |
| 2022 | 60.6% | +9.2% |
| 2023 | 60.8% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 60.8% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 60.5% | -0.5% |
Barbados compared with similar countries
- Barbados's 60.5% is above the median for high income countries, which is 58.9%, 1.0× the median. (62 countries reporting)
- Barbados's 60.5% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 58.1%, 1.0× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 56.2% | 51.5% | 61.9% | 9 |
| 2000s | 63.1% | 61.9% | 64.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 60.1% | 58.3% | 61.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 59.1% | 55.5% | 60.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
More work & labour data for Barbados
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.7079 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.6853 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.7302 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9854 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.8257 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 114.42 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 165.89 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 97.75 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 96.95 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 194.7 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is employment rate in Barbados?
- Employment rate in Barbados was 60.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest employment rate recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 64.5% in 2007.
- What is the lowest employment rate recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 51.5% in 1993.
- How does Barbados rank for employment rate?
- Barbados ranks 70th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is employment rate rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Barbados data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Employment rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and older) who are employed.