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.
Labor force participation rate in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 71.2% | — |
| 1991 | 70.9% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 70.6% | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 70.2% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 69.8% | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 69.4% | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 68.9% | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 68.5% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 68.0% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 67.2% | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 66.7% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 66.1% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 65.8% | -0.5% |
| 2003 | 65.4% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | 65.4% | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 65.2% | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 64.9% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 64.7% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 64.4% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 62.2% | -3.4% |
| 2010 | 60.5% | -2.7% |
| 2011 | 60.8% | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 60.7% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 61.8% | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 62.5% | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 65.5% | +4.7% |
| 2016 | 64.9% | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 65.7% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 65.5% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 67.0% | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 64.8% | -3.2% |
| 2021 | 65.7% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 67.7% | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 69.5% | +2.7% |
| 2024 | 69.4% | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 69.6% | +0.2% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 69.6% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 60.5%, 1.1× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 69.6% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 63.1%, 1.1× the median. (31 countries reporting)
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
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -1.76 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -1.69 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -1.83 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -2.25 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.0152 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 1,904 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 799.47 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 544.43 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 522.35 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 1,067 1000 No (2100)
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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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).