The Statistical Institute of Jamaica, STATIN, says the country’s unemployment rate has declined marginally.
STATIN says that at the end of April this year, the unemployment rate was at 13.2 percent.
This, compared to 13.6 percent in April last year.
STATIN says in the current period, the unemployment rate for males was 10.3 percent and 16.8 percent for females.
STATIN’s data also shows a slight decrease in unemployment among youths aged 14 to 24 years.
It says the unemployment rate among youths was 33.2 percent in April, compared to 33.6 percent in April last year.
STATIN says the unemployment rate for male youths was 27.6 percent, compared to 40.6 percent for females.
The latest labour force survey was conducted between March 22 and 28.
STATIN says there were significant increases in employment in the occupation group ‘Clerks’.
That group saw 8,300 more people being employed, representing an almost 8-percent increase when compared to April last year.
