Labour Force Survey Press Release, Main Indicator Table and Infographics for the October (Q4) 2024

The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) is pleased to present the key indicators from the October 2024 Labour Force Survey (LFS), the fourth release since the revision of the survey. The introduction of the new labour force survey in January 2024, represents a significant break in the series and is not comparable with previous survey data.

Highlights from the October 2024 Labour Force Survey (Reference Week: October 6 to 12, 2024):

Labour Force Participation:

The total labour force in October 2024 was 1,468,300 individuals: 789,100 males (53.7%) and 679,200 females (46.3%). The overall labour force participation rate was 68.1 per cent. Males had a higher participation rate of 74.5 per cent compared to 61.9 per cent for females.

Employment:

The total number of employed persons was 1,417,000, with males comprising more than half (768,500 or 54.2%) of the employed labour force. Of those employed, 22,900 individuals (1.6%) were underemployed, that is, working part-time while wanting additional hours.

The largest occupation group was ‘Services and Sales Workers’ with 343,400 employed individuals, accounting for nearly one-fourth (24.2%) of the total employed population. This group had the largest number of employed females, 224,600; nearly twice as many as the 118,800 males. The second largest occupation group was ‘Skilled Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Workers’ with 201,400 workers, followed by ‘Elementary Occupations’ with 176,200 employed persons. The occupation group ‘Craft and Related Trades Workers’ had the largest employment of males, 154,200.

The largest employer among industry groups was ‘Wholesale and Retail Trade; Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles’, employing 265,600 individuals, representing 18.7 per cent of the total workforce. There were 144,700 females employed in this industry group, accounting for 54.5 per cent. The second largest industry group was ‘Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing’, which employed 201,400 persons, with males accounting for 73.7 per cent of employees in this group.

Unemployment:
The total number of unemployed individuals in October 2024 was 51,300, with females making up 60.0 per cent. Among the unemployed, 21,600 were youth aged 15 to 24 years, with females accounting for 12,000 or 55.6 per cent of unemployed youth.

The unemployment rate (LU1) for October 2024, was 3.5 per cent. The female unemployment rate was higher at 4.5 per cent, while the unemployment rate for males was 2.6 per cent. The youth unemployment rate was 11.0 per cent, with an unemployment rate for young adult females at 13.7 per cent and for young adult males it was 8.9 per cent.

Outside the Labour Force:

In October 2024, there were 687,500 individuals outside the labour force, with more females (417,800) than males (269,700) within this group. Of those outside the labour force, 29,400 or 4.3 per cent were classified as part of the potential labour force which includes individuals seeking employment but not available to work, or available for work but not looking for a job.

There were 294,300 young people (aged 15 to 24 years) outside the labour force, accounting for 42.8 per cent of this group. Among these young adults, 140,700 were males and 153,600 were females.

Youth Not in Employment, Education and Training (NEET)

One in five (108,900 or 22.2%) youths was neither employed, enrolled in educational activities, nor participating in training; 52,200 were males and 56,700 were females.

Other Labour Underutilisation Rates

Complementary measures of labour underutilisation:

•LU2: The combined rate of time-related underemployment and unemployment stood at 5.1 per cent, reflecting the total unmet employment needs. This includes people who are employed but were seeking more hours and those who are unemployed.

•LU3: The combined rate of unemployment and the potential labour force was 5.4 per cent.

•LU4: The overall measure of labour underutilization was 6.9 per cent, representing the proportion of individuals who were either time-related underemployed, unemployed, or part of the potential labour force.

For more information about the revised Labour Force Survey, please visit STATIN’s website at www.statinja.gov.jm or contact the Institute’s library at 876 630-1600 or via email at info@statinja.gov.jm.

About Us: The Statistical Institute of Jamaica is the National Statistics Office (NSO) and the leading provider of official statistics on the country’s economic, social, demographic, and environmental conditions. The Institute periodically releases monthly, quarterly, and annual products such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), inflation rate, international merchandise trade, social and population statistics. STATIN is dedicated to delivering accurate, comprehensive, and timely data that supports informed decision-making and aligns with the Institute’s mission.