KINGSTON, Jamaica—The number of Jamaicans participating in the Overseas Employment Programme increased by 4.8 per cent in 2025 to 15,169 compared with 2024.

While the US Farm Work Programme and the Canadian Low Skilled Worker Programme registered reductions in the number of participants, all other programmes recorded increases last year.

This is according to the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ). The information is contained in the 2025 edition of the PIOJ’s Economic and Social Survey Jamaica.

The Overseas Employment Programme is the primary labour migration initiative of the Government of Jamaica. It places qualified Jamaicans in employment in the United States of America (USA) and Canada. The programme comprises the US Farm Work Programme, the US Hospitality Programme, the Canadian Farm & Factory Work Programme, the Canadian Skilled Worker/Hospitality Programme; and the Canadian Low Skilled Worker Programme.

The PIOJ shared that the combined number of participants in both US programmes grew by 1.7 per cent to 5,810 persons. “This was driven by an increase in the number of participants in the US Hospitality Programme by 16.2 per cent to 1,236 persons, reflecting the positive results of intensified marketing and greater outreach to employers,” said the planning institute.

It said that in contrast, the number of participants in the US Farm Work Programme declined by 1.6 per cent to 4,574 persons due to a 1.7 per cent decrease in male participants in this programme.

“The reduction in participants can be attributed to economic challenges faced by some agricultural employers, which resulted in the downsizing of their workforce,” PIOJ explained.

It said participation in Canadian programmes increased by 6.9 per cent to 9,359 persons, highlighting that Canadian programmes continued to account for the majority of participants (61.7 per cent) in the Overseas Employment Programme.

The number of persons employed in the Canadian Farm & Factory Work Programme grew by 7.4 per cent to 8,877. This was supported by a rebound in the cherry season in British Columbia, Canada, as well as the onboarding of new employers, which contributed to increased demand for seasonal agricultural workers. Conversely, participation in the Canadian Low Skilled Worker Programme decreased by 2.4 per cent to 482 persons as a result of a 4.6 per cent decrease in the number of male participants.

PIOJ noted that competition from non-traditional labour supply countries contributed to the reduction of participants in the Canadian Low Skilled Worker Programme. It said there were no participants in the Canadian Skilled Worker/Hospitality programme.

The survey found that the number of female participants in the Overseas Employment Programme increased by 18.2 per cent to 1,150. Notwithstanding this increase, males accounted for the majority of participants, representing 92.4 per cent.

Similar to the previous year, males comprised the larger share in the US Farm Work Programme at 98.5 per cent; the Canadian Farm and Factory Programme at 95.6 per cent; and the Canadian Low Skilled Worker Programme at 89.6 per cent. Females accounted for 51.8 per cent of participants in the US Hospitality Programme.