Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Barbados
Barbados: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 18.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Barbados, 1991–2025
Source: International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of workers in vulnerable employment in Barbados is 18.8%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 1.4% on the previous year and up 15.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Barbados peaked at 20.0% in 2019 and was at its lowest, 11.8%, in 1991.
Barbados ranks 121st of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12.5% | 11.8% | 13.8% | 9 |
| 2000s | 14.1% | 12.5% | 15.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.2% | 15.5% | 20.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.2% | 18.8% | 19.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
More work & labour data for Barbados
- 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+) 64.7% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 68.7% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 88.8% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 61.0% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 78.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 80.3% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 76.4% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of workers in vulnerable employment in Barbados?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Barbados was 18.8% in 2025, according to International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 20.0% in 2019.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.8% in 1991.
- How does Barbados rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Barbados ranks 121st out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Barbados data come from?
- The figures come from International Labour Organization (ILOEST/ILOSTAT) and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of workers in vulnerable employment. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of employed population who are working as independent own-account workers (self-employed without staff), or contributing family workers (self-employed in a household business or farm).