Labour Force At 1,155,800 As At October 2020

The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) is reporting that the number of persons comprising the employed labour force, as at October 2020, totalled 1,155,800.

This is 92,600 or 7.4 per cent lower than the 1,248,400 recorded for the corresponding period the previous year, according to STATIN’s October 2020 Labour Force Survey.

The latest employed labour force out-turn largely contributed to a 3.5 percentage point spike in the unemployment rate, which rose to 10.7 per cent in October 2020.

This, after falling to a record low 7.2 per cent for the corresponding period of the previous year.

Speaking during STATIN’s digital quarterly briefing on Wednesday (January 20), Director General, Carol Coy, said the total number of employed males decreased by 41,500 or 6.1 per cent to 641,300 persons.

Additionally, she said female employment dipped by 51,100 persons to 514,500, which was nine per cent lower than the 565,600 recorded in October 2019.

The Director General advised that the number of unemployed persons increased by 41,100 or 42.5 per cent to 137,800.

Male unemployment rose by 40.2 per cent or 17,400 to 60,700, while the number of unemployed females increased by 44.4 per cent or 23,700 persons to 77,100.

The unemployment rate for youth, aged 14-24, rose by 10,900 or 25.2 percentage points to 54,200 persons.

This resulted in the overall rate increasing to 27.8 per cent, which is 6.7 percentage points greater than the October 2019 out-turn.

“The unemployment rate for male youth was 23.3 per cent compared to 18.2 per cent in October 2019. For females, the rate was 3.34 per cent which was 8.7 percentage points higher than the rate for October 2019,” Ms. Coy informed.

She advised that the size of the labour force shrank by 51,500 persons or 3.8 per cent to 1,293,600 in October 2020 compared to 1,345,100 the previous year.

The male labour force decreased by 24,100 persons, or 3.3 per cent, to 702,000 persons, while the female complement fell by 27,400, or 4.4 per cent, to 591,600 individuals.

Additionally, Ms. Coy said the number of persons classified as being outside the labour force totalled 791,600 in October 2020.

This, she pointed out, represents an increase of 50,100 persons, or 6.8 per cent, relative to 741,500 in October 2019.

Females accounted for the greater figure, 470,000, which represents an increase of 26,500 or six per cent, while the number of males rose by 23,600 or 7.9 per cent to 321,600 persons.