Nearly 700,000 Jamaicans outside labour force

 

The revised Labour Force Survey has revealed that at the start of the year, close to 400,000 females across Jamaica were outside the labour force.

 

The Statistical Institute of Jamaica released the findings of the revised survey on Wednesday.

 

Deputy Director General of STATIN, Leesha Delatie-Budair, said 699,400 people were not employed neither were they seeking employment. 

 

"This group had a higher representation of females, 399,200, compared to males, 270,200. In the Greater Kingston Metropolitan area, there were 206,600 persons outside the labour force. In other urban centres, it was 138,200 and in rural areas, 324,600."  

 

Ms. Delatie-Budair explained that the findings also revealed that those outside the labour force were those 65 years and older, with 170,500 people,  or youth at 288,700. 

 

"Within the youth population, there were 142,100 males and 146,500 females who were outside the labour force. Additionally, there were 100,700 youth who were not employed, not enrolled in educational activities, nor currently in training - what we refer to as NEAT - of which 49,400 were males and 51,400 were females," she noted.   

 

But Ms. Delatie-Budair said 37,600 people made up the potential labour force. This means they were either available, not seeking employment or seeking but not available. 

 

"There were 620,200 persons outside the labour force who were neither available, seeking nor willing to obtain employment. However, of this amount, 113,900 were also retired and another 236,900 were also in school and the remaining 269,500 were outside the labour force for various reasons, including illness and including home duties," the deputy director general outlined.