Jamaicans will not yet be able to assess how Hurricane Melissa affected employment until later this year, as the latest data released by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (Statin) only reflect labour market conditions before the storm struck on October 28, last year.

On Thursday, deputy director-general (acting) and director of surveys at Statin Dr Natalee Simpson said that the October 2025 Labour Force Survey captures employment conditions during the reference week of October 5 to 11 — more than two weeks before Hurricane Melissa made landfall.

“If you are looking to see the impact of Melissa on employment, you are more likely to see that in the next quarter, if such exists, and the magnitude of it,” Dr Simpson said in response to a reporter’s question during Statin’s first press briefing for 2026.

She added that Statin adjusted its field operations after the hurricane, including the use of abridged questionnaires in the most severely affected areas, in line with international statistical guidance, to ensure that core labour market indicators could still be produced.

As at October, Jamaica’s labour market remained broadly stable, with unemployment still low despite a slight easing in employment and participation.

The unemployment rate stood at 3.3 per cent, marginally below 3.5 per cent a year earlier, a change Statin said was not statistically significant. Total employment declined by 3,800 people to 1.41 million, while the labour force contracted by 6,300 to 1.46 million.

Over the same period, the number of people outside the labour force increased by 6,300, suggesting that lower participation — rather than widespread job losses — helped to keep unemployment contained.

The clearest area of weakness ahead of the hurricane was among young workers.

Employment for people aged 15 to 24 fell by 10,400 to 163,600, while the youth unemployment rate edged up to 10.6 per cent. Although the number of unemployed youth declined in absolute terms, Statin attributed this largely to more young people moving outside the labour force, often linked to schooling, rather than an improvement in hiring conditions.

Beneath the headline numbers, the data point to uneven shifts across occupations.

Employment declined sharply among clerical support workers, down 16,000, and craft and related trades workers down 11,700, with most of the contraction occurring among men. At the same time, higher-skilled roles expanded, with employment among managers rising by 16,400 and technicians and associate professionals increasing by 9,400.

Industry trends were similarly mixed. Real estate and other business services recorded the largest decline, shedding 10,400 jobs, while arts, entertainment and other services fell by 6,400. These losses were partly offset by gains in accommodation and food services, which added 7,900 jobs, and education, health, and social work, which grew by 6,900.

Meanwhile, gender patterns continued to shift during the period. Male employment declined by 11,500, while female employment increased by 7,800, pushing female labour force participation up to 62.4 per cent. Male participation, meanwhile, slipped to 73.4 per cent.

Statin said this reflects a longer-term trend, with more women entering or re-entering the workforce as unemployment remains low.