(Stock Photo)

Barbados’ unemployment rate for 2016 stood at 9.7 per cent, a decrease of 1.6 percentage points from the 11.3 per cent recorded at the end of 2015.

This is according to statistics derived from the Barbados Statistical Service’s Continuous Household Labour Force Survey, which indicated that the unemployment rate among males stood at 9.3 per cent and 10.1 per cent among females.

In the review period, the number of persons employed totalled 132,900, of whom 67,500 were males and 65,400 were females. The unemployed numbered 14,300; some 6,900 males and 7,300 females.

In total, the number of persons in the labour force stood at 147,200. The number of persons not actively looking for work, hence excluded from the labour force, was 74,000. The Labour Force participation rate stood at 66.5 per cent, with participation among males at 70.4 per cent and 62.9 per cent among females.

In 2016, the Wholesale & Retail Trade Sector generated jobs for the largest number of persons, employing 22,400, while 16,400 worked in the Accommodation & Food Services Sector. The Construction, Mining & Quarrying Sector generated employment for 14,000 persons and the Public Administration & Defence Sector generated work for 9,700 persons.

Employment in the Manufacturing Sector reached 9,400 persons and the Other Groups Sector reached 8,300 persons. The Administrative & Support Service Sector and the Transportation & Storage Sector employed 7,600 and 6,700 persons, respectively.

The Human Health & Social Work Sector employed 6,600 persons, while the Education Sector and the Finance & Insurance Sector generated employment for 6,100 and 5,800 persons, respectively.

Employment in the Activities of Households as Employers Sector stood at 5,400 persons, while employment in the Professional, Scientific & Technical Services Sector stood at 4,500 persons. The employment generated in the Other Services Sector was 4,000 persons.

During the review period, employment recorded in the Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing Sector stood at 3,800 persons, while the Electric, Gas, Steam, Water & Air Conditioning Supply Sector generated jobs for 2,300 persons.

Economic Affairs Division

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