Jamaica Industry Employment
Employment in industry SL.IND.EMPL.ZS
Jamaica's industry employment was 17.13% in 2025, ranked 69th globally. This represents a 0.0% decrease from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Jamaica's industry employment stood at 17.13% in 2025, a decline of +0.00% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 17.14% by 2026. Jamaica ranked 69th globally.
Jamaica’s share of the labour force employed in industry stood at 17.13 percent in 2025, ranking it 69th globally, and reflects a gradual decline from the 1990s when the sector peaked at 21.33 percent in 1996. After maintaining a relatively high level through the early 2000s, industry employment fell to an all‑time low of 14.93 percent in 2015 before the modest rebound observed in the most recent year. Over the 35‑year series, the indicator has moved more than six percentage points, underscoring the sector’s vulnerability to structural shifts such as the expansion of services and persistent challenges in manufacturing competitiveness. Jamaica’s figure is comparable to those of peer economies, for example Nigeria at 17.01 percent and Tajikistan at 17.66 percent in the same period, highlighting a regional convergence around mid‑teens employment shares. Continued investment in value‑added manufacturing and diversification of industrial output will be crucial if the downward trajectory is to be reversed in the coming decade.
Data & projection
| Year | Industry Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 17.09% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 17.11% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 17.14% | - | - |
| 2025 | 17.13% | −0.00% | #69 |
| 2024 | 17.14% | −0.11% | #69 |
| 2023 | 17.24% | −0.21% | #69 |
| 2022 | 17.45% | +0.35% | #73 |
| 2021 | 17.09% | +1.31% | #71 |
| 2020 | 15.78% | −0.40% | #59 |
| 2019 | 16.19% | +0.06% | #60 |
| 2018 | 16.12% | +0.40% | #57 |
| 2017 | 15.72% | +0.02% | #55 |
| 2016 | 15.71% | +0.77% | #55 |
| 2015 | 14.93% | −0.03% | #51 |
| 2014 | 14.96% | −0.29% | #52 |
| 2013 | 15.25% | −0.24% | #52 |
| 2012 | 15.49% | −0.60% | #52 |
| 2011 | 16.09% | +0.12% | #57 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Jamaica matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2022. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw industry employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Jamaica's industry employment was 17.13% in 2025. Ranked 69th globally. This represents a 0.0% decrease from the previous year.
Jamaica's industry employment peaked at 21.33% in 1996.
The lowest industry employment in Jamaica was 14.93% in 2015.
Jamaica ranks 69th globally in industry employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.IND.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Jamaica's industry employment is projected to reach 17.14% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The industry employment of Jamaica in 2025 was 17.13%. This ranks 69th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_jamaica_industry-employment,
title = {Jamaica Industry Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/jamaica/industry-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}