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File photo of Jamaicans at a bus terminal in downtown, Kingston.
Just over 694,000 people remain outside Jamaica’s labour force despite the country’s unemployment rate falling to a new record low of 3.6 per cent in July.
This is according to the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN) in its latest labour force survey released last Friday.
More females (410,800 or 59.2 per cent) than males (283,400 or 40.8 per cent) are affected, according to the survey.
“Of the persons outside the labour force, 32,200 or 4.6 per cent were classified as part of the potential labour force. The potential labour force includes individuals seeking employment but not available to work, and those who are available for work but not looking for a job,” STATIN outlined.
The institute said there were 299,800 youth aged 15 to 24 years outside the labour force, of which 147,400 were males and 152,400 were females. It said one in four youths (123,200 or 25.2 per cent) was neither employed, enrolled in educational activities, nor participating in training. Some 63,200 were males and 60,000 were females.
