14,000 Jamaicans Benefited from Overseas Employment Programme Last Year

Some 14,000 Jamaicans were provided with jobs last year, through the Overseas Employment Programme, which resulted in some $1.2 billion in remittances to the island.
This was noted by Minister of Labour and Social Security, Horace Dalley, who made his contribution to the 2005/06 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on May 17.
Mr. Dalley said the 14,000 jobs contributed to a reduction of unemployment among vulnerable groups as well as significantly increased the remittances. He noted that the $1.2 billion represented only 20 per cent of the workers’ income. “The 14,000 workers on the overseas programme therefore earned in excess of $6 billion,” he informed.
“The Overseas Employment Programme continues to play an important role in providing employment for many Jamaicans, and has been mutually beneficial to Jamaica as well as the host countries,” Mr. Dalley said. He also noted that the increased remittances not only benefited the workers’ families, but the economy as a whole.
The Overseas programme includes the United States Hotel Programme, the United States Farm Work Programme, the Canadian Farm Work Programme and the Guantanamo Bay Skilled Workers Programme.