Outward migration contributed to Jamaica’s population growing by a negligible 600 people in 2025 to 2,764,200, with the United States of America (USA), Canada and the United Kingdom (UK) continuing to be major destinations for Jamaican migrants who are granted visas for permanent residence or citizenship.

This is according to the 2025 edition of the Economic and Social Survey Jamaica, a publication of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ).

With 18,347 Jamaicans entering its borders, migration to the USA increased by 7.3 per cent in 2025 when compared with 2024, according to the survey. It showed that the USA remained the primary destination for Jamaican migrants followed by Canada (2 980) and the UK (2 396).

“A total of 2,980 migrants were granted permanent resident status in Canada in 2025, a 19.8 per cent decrease relative to 2024,” the survey said.

It noted that similar to previous years, the majority, 74.7 per cent (2 225) of Jamaicans was in the working age population (15–64 years). The 30–34 age group had the largest proportion of admissions of permanent residents, accounting for 13.1 per cent of emigrants.

Jamaicans from the 0–4, 55–59 and 60–64 age groups comprised a smaller proportion of emigrants (2.3 per cent, 2.5 per cent and 2.5 per cent, respectively).

The PIOJ shared that the largest proportion of permanent emigrants from Jamaica with a known occupation fell within the “professionals, senior officials and technicians” category at 7.0 per cent, followed by “service sorkers and shop and market sales workers” at 2.3 per cent.

Notably, the occupation of 85.8 per cent of permanent emigrants was classified as “unknown/other”. “In contrast, emigrants who obtained temporary work visas were predominantly employed in ‘elementary occupations’, accounting for 79.6 per cent,” said the PIOJ.

In 2025, a total of 2 396 Jamaicans were granted British citizenship by naturalisation or registration, representing a 16.7 per cent decline compared with 2024.

-Lynford Simpson