(Stock Photo)
The rate of unemployment for the second quarter of April to June 2018 stood at 8.2 per cent, a decrease of 1.5 percentage points from the rate of 9.7 per cent recorded for the first quarter of 2018.
This is according to data produced by the Barbados Statistical Service and statistics derived from the Continuous Household Labour Force Survey, which also indicated that the unemployment rate among males stood at 8.6 per cent and 7.8 per cent among females.
In the review period, the number of persons employed totalled 130,900; of whom 67,400 were males and 63,400 were females. The total number of unemployed persons stood at 11,700; comprising 6,400 males and 5,300 females. In total, the number of persons in the labour force stood at 142,600.
Those not actively looking for work, hence excluded from the labour force, were 77,300 persons. The Labour Force participation rate stood at 64.8 per cent, with participation among males at 70.3 per cent and 59.8 per cent among females.
In the second quarter of 2018, the Wholesale & Retail Trade Sector generated jobs for the largest number of persons, employing 18,000, while the Accommodation & Food Services Sector employed 15,600 persons. The Construction, Mining & Quarrying Sector generated employment for 12,200 persons, and the Public Administration & Defence Sector generated work for 10,200 persons.
Employment in the Manufacturing Sector stood at 9,200 persons, while the Administrative and Support Service Sector and the category classified as the Other Group, both employed 8,600 persons. The Transportation & Storage Sector employed 8,000 persons.
The Human Health & Social Work Sector and the Education Sector both employed 6,300 persons. Employment in the Finance and Insurance Sector stood at 6,200 persons, while the Professional, Scientific & Technical Services Sector employed 5,200 persons. Employment in the Other Services Sector stood at 4,300 persons, while the Activities of Households as Employers stood at 4,200 persons.
Employment levels in the Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing Sector stood at 4,000 persons, while 3,900 were employed in the Electric, Gas, Steam, Water & Air Conditioning Supply Sector during the second quarter of 2018.
(Please note that all data in the release are provisional. Due to rounding, some totals may not agree.)