Employment up, discouraged workers decrease

The Bahamas National Statistical Institute (BNSI) has recorded an increase in employment, with an additional 3,450 people finding work between the third and fourth quarters of 2025. Total employment rose from 222,575 persons in the third quarter to 226,025 in the fourth quarter.

The BNSI noted that women accounted for the majority of that growth, reflecting increased female participation in the labour market.

The number of discouraged workers also declined compared with the third quarter, indicating fewer people had stopped actively seeking employment.

The national unemployment rate remained largely unchanged during the second half of 2025, standing at 8.8 per cent in the third quarter and 8.7 per cent in the fourth quarter.

The survey provides policymakers, researchers, businesses, service providers and the public with updated data on employment trends and labour market conditions across The Bahamas.

Among the report's key findings, employment growth was strongest among individuals between the ages of 25 and 54, the country's prime working-age population.

Occupational data showed the largest employment gains were recorded among Craft and Related Trades Workers, as well as Plant and Machine Operators and Assemblers.