Unemployment Down

• According to the Statistical Institute of Jamaica’s (STATIN) Labour Force Survey, the unemployment rate for July 2021 was 8.5%. This is 4.1 percentage points lower than the 12.6% out-turn for the same period last year. 
• The survey shows that the number of unemployed persons went down by 49,200 or 30.4% to 112,500. The number of unemployed males fell by 43.4%, while the number of unemployed females declined by 17.5%. The unemployment rate for youth, aged 14 to 24, was 23.9%, 6.4 percentage points lower than the July 2020 out-turn of 30.3%. 
• Meanwhile, the ‘Construction’ and “Real Estate and Other Business Services’ industry groups accounted for more than 50.0% of the increase in the employed labour force. Some 118,300 persons were employed in the construction industry, representing an increase of 26,100 or 28.3%, with males accounting for 25,900 of this figure. In the real estate and other business services industry, there were 115,100 persons employed, an increase of 23.0%(21,500). Females accounted for the largest increase – 11,900 or 25.4%. 
• Other industry groups recording notable increases were ‘Accommodation and Food Service Activities’ – up 17,800 persons; ‘Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing’ – up 6,200 persons; and ‘Wholesale and Retail Trade, Repair of Motor Vehicles and Motorcycles’ – up 5,500 persons.

(Source: JIS News)