Unemployment with basic education in Jamaica

Jamaica: Unemployment with basic education was 1.4% in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
1.4%
Change on year
down 35.3%
World rank
120th
of 130 countries
All-time high
6.9%
in 2013
All-time low
1.4%
in 2023
Years of data
15
2008–2023

Unemployment with basic education in Jamaica, 2008–2023

2462008201520232008: 5.4 % of total labor force with basic education2009: 5.5 % of total labor force with basic education2010: 5.8 % of total labor force with basic education2011: 6.2 % of total labor force with basic education2012: 6.7 % of total labor force with basic education2013: 6.9 % of total labor force with basic education2014: 5.6 % of total labor force with basic education2016: 5.1 % of total labor force with basic education2017: 4.9 % of total labor force with basic education2018: 3.6 % of total labor force with basic education2019: 3 % of total labor force with basic education2020: 3.2 % of total labor force with basic education2021: 2.9 % of total labor force with basic education2022: 2.1 % of total labor force with basic education2023: 1.4 % of total labor force with basic education

Source: Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Measured in % of total labor force with basic education.

Analysis

In 2023, unemployment with basic education in Jamaica stood at 1.4%. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.

The figure is down 35.3% on the previous year and down 79.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, unemployment with basic education in Jamaica peaked at 6.9% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 1.4%, in 2023.

Jamaica ranks 120th of 130 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.

Unemployment with basic education in Jamaica, year by year

Annual values for Unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic education) in Jamaica, 2008 to 2023.
Year % of total labor force with basic education Change
2008 5.4%
2009 5.5% +2.4%
2010 5.8% +5.4%
2011 6.2% +7.1%
2012 6.7% +7.4%
2013 6.9% +2.9%
2014 5.6% -18.1%
2016 5.1% -8.9%
2017 4.9% -5.1%
2018 3.6% -25.2%
2019 3.0% -18.8%
2020 3.2% +9.9%
2021 2.9% -10.0%
2022 2.1% -26.5%
2023 1.4% -35.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 5.4% 5.4% 5.5% 2
2010s 5.3% 3.0% 6.9% 9
2020s 2.4% 1.4% 3.2% 4

Countries ranked near Jamaica

  1. 117 Tanzania, United Republic of 1.7% compare
  2. 118 Togo 1.7% compare
  3. 119 Uganda 1.5% compare
  4. 121 Ecuador 1.3% compare
  5. 122 Viet Nam 1.2% compare
  6. 123 United Arab Emirates 1.2% compare

See the full ranking of 150 places →

More work & labour data for Jamaica

All data for Jamaica →

Frequently asked questions

What is unemployment with basic education in Jamaica?
Unemployment with basic education in Jamaica was 1.4% in 2023, according to Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO).
What is the highest unemployment with basic education recorded in Jamaica?
The highest recorded value was 6.9% in 2013.
What is the lowest unemployment with basic education recorded in Jamaica?
The lowest recorded value was 1.4% in 2023.
How does Jamaica rank for unemployment with basic education?
Jamaica ranks 120th out of 130 countries with data for 2023.
Is unemployment with basic education rising or falling in Jamaica?
Over the last ten years it is down 79.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Jamaica data come from?
The figures come from Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic education). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Unemployment with basic education in Jamaica. Statizoid, drawing on Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO). Retrieved 22 August 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/unemployment-with-basic-education-percent-of-total-labor-force-with-basic-education/jamaica/

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About this data

Indicator
Unemployment with basic education (% of total labor force with basic education)
Unit
% of total labor force with basic education
Source
Education and Mismatch Indicators database (EMI), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
150 places, 2,716 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

The percentage of the labor force with a basic level of education who are unemployed. Basic education comprises primary education or lower secondary education according to the International Standard Classification of Education 2011 (ISCED 2011).