Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Jamaica
Jamaica: Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) was 2.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Jamaica, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
Jamaica recorded 2.4% for unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in 2025.
The figure is up 3.5% on the previous year and down 63.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Jamaica peaked at 7.4% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 2.2%, in 2023.
That places Jamaica 158th out of 187 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Jamaica, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 4.5% | — |
| 1992 | 4.7% | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 4.5% | -2.4% |
| 1994 | 4.6% | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 4.6% | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 4.8% | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 4.9% | +1.4% |
| 1998 | 5.0% | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 5.0% | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 5.0% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 4.9% | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 4.9% | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 4.8% | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 4.8% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 4.9% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 4.9% | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 4.9% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 4.9% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 5.9% | +19.6% |
| 2010 | 6.0% | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 6.3% | +5.6% |
| 2012 | 6.7% | +6.3% |
| 2013 | 7.4% | +10.9% |
| 2014 | 7.0% | -5.8% |
| 2015 | 6.6% | -4.9% |
| 2016 | 6.4% | -3.9% |
| 2017 | 5.5% | -14.1% |
| 2018 | 4.2% | -22.6% |
| 2019 | 3.8% | -9.6% |
| 2020 | 5.7% | +49.4% |
| 2021 | 4.2% | -26.1% |
| 2022 | 3.2% | -24.5% |
| 2023 | 2.2% | -29.8% |
| 2024 | 2.3% | +4.7% |
| 2025 | 2.4% | +3.5% |
Jamaica compared with similar countries
- Jamaica's 2.4% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5.7%, 43% of the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Jamaica's 2.4% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 5.7%, 43% of the median. (31 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Jamaica changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +49.4% | 3.8% | 5.7% |
| 2023 | -29.8% | 3.2% | 2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.8% | 4.5% | 5.0% | 9 |
| 2000s | 5.0% | 4.8% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.0% | 3.8% | 7.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.4% | 2.2% | 5.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Jamaica
More education data for Jamaica
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 11,043 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 4,597 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 52,983 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 51,265 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 177,095 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 211,097 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 8.14 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0744 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Jamaica?
- Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) in Jamaica was 2.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Jamaica?
- The highest recorded value was 7.4% in 2013.
- What is the lowest unemployment, male (% of male labor force) recorded in Jamaica?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.2% in 2023.
- How does Jamaica rank for unemployment, male (% of male labor force)?
- Jamaica ranks 158th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, male (% of male labor force) rising or falling in Jamaica?
- Over the last ten years it is down 63.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Jamaica data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, male (% of male labor force) (modeled ILO estimate). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.