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.
Share of workers in vulnerable employment in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 42.4% | — |
| 1992 | 42.2% | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 39.9% | -5.5% |
| 1994 | 39.1% | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 37.5% | -4.0% |
| 1996 | 37.9% | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 37.1% | -2.1% |
| 1998 | 37.8% | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 38.0% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 38.1% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 37.5% | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 36.0% | -4.2% |
| 2003 | 36.0% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 36.2% | +0.5% |
| 2005 | 34.7% | -4.1% |
| 2006 | 35.5% | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 33.5% | -5.7% |
| 2008 | 35.8% | +7.0% |
| 2009 | 38.2% | +6.7% |
| 2010 | 38.9% | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 37.0% | -4.9% |
| 2012 | 37.5% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 37.6% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 37.5% | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 37.0% | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 36.5% | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 35.8% | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 35.4% | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 34.1% | -3.4% |
| 2020 | 34.7% | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 34.2% | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 33.1% | -3.3% |
| 2023 | 31.7% | -4.2% |
| 2024 | 31.7% | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 31.6% | -0.3% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 31.6% is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 29.8%, 1.1× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 31.6% is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 26.1%, 1.2× the median. (31 countries reporting)
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
- 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 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).