Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Jamaica
Jamaica: Share of workers in vulnerable employment was 31.6% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Jamaica, 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 Jamaica is 31.6%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 14.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of workers in vulnerable employment in Jamaica peaked at 42.4% in 1991 and was at its lowest, 31.6%, in 2025.
That places Jamaica 87th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 39.1% | 37.1% | 42.4% | 9 |
| 2000s | 36.1% | 33.5% | 38.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.7% | 34.1% | 38.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 32.8% | 31.6% | 34.7% | 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 share of workers in vulnerable employment in Jamaica?
- Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Jamaica was 31.6% 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 Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 42.4% in 1991.
- What is the lowest share of workers in vulnerable employment recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 31.6% in 2025.
- How does Jamaica rank for share of workers in vulnerable employment?
- Jamaica ranks 87th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of workers in vulnerable employment rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Jamaica 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.
Download this data
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).