Labor force participation rate in Jamaica
Jamaica: Labor force participation rate was 69.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in Jamaica, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, labor force participation rate in Jamaica stood at 69.6%.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 6.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Jamaica peaked at 71.2% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 60.5%, in 2010.
That places Jamaica 31st out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 69.5% | 67.2% | 71.2% | 10 |
| 2000s | 65.1% | 62.2% | 66.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 63.5% | 60.5% | 67.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 67.8% | 64.8% | 69.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
More work & labour data for Jamaica
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 69.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 76.3% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 82.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 63.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 74.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 79.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 68.5% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Jamaica?
- Labor force participation rate in Jamaica was 69.6% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 71.2% in 1990.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 60.5% in 2010.
- How does Jamaica rank for labor force participation rate?
- Jamaica ranks 31st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Jamaica data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).