Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Barbados
Barbados: Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) was 6.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Barbados, 1991–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
Analysis
In 2025, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Barbados stood at 6.5%.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and down 33.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Barbados peaked at 24.5% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 6.4%, in 2024.
Barbados ranks 69th of 187 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Barbados, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 22.4% | — |
| 1992 | 22.9% | +2.4% |
| 1993 | 24.5% | +7.0% |
| 1994 | 23.0% | -6.4% |
| 1995 | 19.7% | -14.4% |
| 1996 | 14.7% | -25.2% |
| 1997 | 14.6% | -0.7% |
| 1998 | 12.4% | -15.1% |
| 1999 | 10.6% | -14.4% |
| 2000 | 9.3% | -11.9% |
| 2001 | 9.8% | +5.3% |
| 2002 | 10.3% | +4.8% |
| 2003 | 11.0% | +6.6% |
| 2004 | 9.6% | -13.0% |
| 2005 | 9.1% | -5.1% |
| 2006 | 8.7% | -3.9% |
| 2007 | 7.4% | -15.1% |
| 2008 | 8.1% | +9.6% |
| 2009 | 10.0% | +23.4% |
| 2010 | 10.7% | +6.7% |
| 2011 | 11.2% | +4.7% |
| 2012 | 11.6% | +3.6% |
| 2013 | 11.6% | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 12.2% | +5.4% |
| 2015 | 9.8% | -19.4% |
| 2016 | 8.2% | -15.9% |
| 2017 | 8.6% | +4.5% |
| 2018 | 8.3% | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 8.4% | +1.1% |
| 2020 | 10.6% | +25.9% |
| 2021 | 11.0% | +4.1% |
| 2022 | 7.3% | -34.1% |
| 2023 | 6.5% | -9.9% |
| 2024 | 6.4% | -1.4% |
| 2025 | 6.5% | +1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 18.3% | 10.6% | 24.5% | 9 |
| 2000s | 9.3% | 7.4% | 11.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.1% | 8.2% | 12.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.1% | 6.4% | 11.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
More education data for Barbados
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 279 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 2,255 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 2,277 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 18,457 (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 16,314 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -5.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0578 units per person (2024)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Barbados?
- Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) in Barbados was 6.5% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO).
- What is the highest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 24.5% in 1993.
- What is the lowest unemployment, total (% of total labor force) recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.4% in 2024.
- How does Barbados rank for unemployment, total (% of total labor force)?
- Barbados ranks 69th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is unemployment, total (% of total labor force) rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is down 33.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Barbados data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates database (ILOEST), International Labour Organization (ILO), published as part of Unemployment, total (% of total 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.