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The rate of unemployment for the third quarter (July to September) of 2018 stood at 10.7 per cent, an increase of 2.5 percentage points from the rate of 8.2 per cent recorded for the second quarter of 2018.

According to the data produced by the Barbados Statistical Service, statistics derived from the Continuous Household Labour Force Survey indicated that the unemployment rate among males stood at 10.7 per cent and 10.8 per cent among females. In the review period, the number of persons employed totalled 128,800. Of this number, there were 65,300 males and 63,500 females.

The total number of unemployed persons stood at 15,500; comprising 7,800 males and 7,700 females.  In total, the number of persons in the labour force stood at 144,300. The number of persons not actively looking for work, hence excluded from the labour force, was 75,300 persons. The Labour Force participation rate stood at 65.7 per cent, with participation among males at 69.8 per cent and 62.0 per cent among females.

In the third quarter of 2018, the Wholesale & Retail Trade sector generated jobs for the largest number of persons, employing 19,900 persons, while the Accommodation & Food Services sector employed 17,300 persons. The Construction, Mining & Quarrying sector generated employment for 13,100 persons and the Manufacturing Sector generated employment for 9,200 persons.

Employment in the Public Administration and Defence sector stood at 8,900 persons, while the category classified as the Other Groups, employed 8,800 persons. The Administrative and Support Service sector employed 7,200 persons.

The Transportation and Storage sector employed 6,900 persons. Employment in the Education sector stood at 6,000 persons, while the Finance and Insurance sector employed 5,800 persons. Employment in the Human Health and Social Work sector stood at 5,400 persons, while the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services stood at 4,900 persons.

Employment levels in the Other Services sector and Activities of Households as Employers both stood at 4,200 persons, while Agriculture, Forestry & Fishing sector stood at 3,700 persons. In the Electric, Gas, Steam, Water & Air Conditioning Supply sector, 3,200 persons were employed during the third quarter of 2018.

All data provided in this release is provisional. Due to rounding, some totals may not agree.

Economic Affairs Division

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