Home Jamaica Employment Unemployment Rate

Jamaica Unemployment Rate

Unemployment as % of total labor force  SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS

3.29% −0.89pp (-21.3%)
Year 2025 Rank #50 Global Peak 27.58% (1982) Source World Bank

Jamaica Unemployment Rate (1980–2025)

Overview

Jamaica's unemployment rate stood at 3.29% in 2025, a decline of +0.89pp from 2024. Jamaica ranked 50th globally.

Data & projection

Year Unemployment Rate YoY change Rank
2025 3.29% −0.89pp #50
2024 3.15% −1.25pp #47
2023 3.02% −3.25pp #42
2022 4.08% −4.29pp #69
2021 5.19% −5.01pp #79
2020 6.50% −1.20pp #99
2019 4.99% −4.14pp #89
2018 5.47% −6.18pp #101
2017 7.40% −5.80pp #119
2016 8.63% −4.87pp #129
2015 8.83% −4.93pp #125
2014 9.05% −6.23pp #130
2013 9.70% −4.23pp #130
2012 8.70% −3.71pp #122
2011 8.03% −4.34pp #119
Show all years (1980-2025)

Detected Pattern

Fiscal Dominance Trap
Government debt exceeding 80% of GDP with real interest rates negative and inflation above 10%. Monetary policy effectiveness impaired by fiscal pressures.
Inflation 10.3% Real rate -1.1%
Occurred 386 times, 278 successful
Inflation
28.2%
Real rate
-4.2%
Inflation
219.9%
Real rate
-47.4%
Inflation
28.3%
Real rate
-7.0%
Inflation
91.4%
Real rate
-26.9%
Inflation
13.6%
Real rate
-0.9%
Inflation
133.5%
Real rate
-17.3%

Analysis

Jamaica matched the Fiscal Dominance Trap pattern in 2022. Historically, 72% of countries showing this pattern (278 out of 386) saw unemployment rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Jamaica's unemployment rate?

Jamaica's unemployment rate was 3.29% in 2025. Ranked 50th globally. This represents a 21.3% decrease from the previous year.

What was the highest unemployment rate in Jamaica?

Jamaica's unemployment rate peaked at 27.58% in 1982.

What was the lowest unemployment rate in Jamaica?

The lowest unemployment rate in Jamaica was 3.02% in 2023.

How does Jamaica rank in unemployment rate?

Jamaica ranks 50th globally in unemployment rate as of 2025.

What is the World Bank indicator code for unemployment rate?

The World Bank indicator code is SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.

What is the unemployment rate of Jamaica in 2025?

The unemployment rate of Jamaica in 2025 was 3.29%. This ranks 50th in the world.

Cite this page

APA
Jamaica Unemployment Rate. HistorySaid. Retrieved April 1, 2026, from https://historysaid.com/jamaica/unemployment-rate
BibTeX
@misc{historysaid_jamaica_unemployment-rate, title = {Jamaica Unemployment Rate}, url = {https://historysaid.com/jamaica/unemployment-rate}, publisher = {HistorySaid}, year = {2026} }