Labour

Labour statistics provide essential insights into the performance of Curaçao's labour market and support informed decision-making by policymakers, businesses, researchers, and the public. They offer valuable information on labour force participation, employment, unemployment, and other key labour market indicators that contribute to monitoring the island's social and economic development.

Since 1987, the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) has conducted the Labour Force Survey (LFS) annually to produce reliable official statistics on the supply side of the labour market in Curaçao. The survey measures the latest developments in the labour market, with particular focus on the unemployment rate, youth unemployment rate, the size of the employed population, and the size of the unemployed population.

As of 2025, the Labour Force Survey has been integrated into the Enkuesta Sosial (Social Survey) under the theme Labour. The same internationally recognized concepts, definitions, and survey questions continue to be used, ensuring that the labour statistics remain consistent and comparable over time.

On this page, you can access the latest labour market publications, statistical tables, and interactive dashboards. For historical Labour Force Survey publications and data, please visit the CBS Digital Library by clicking here.

Key figures

Labour indicators	2024	2025
Employed population	71.919	70.080
Unemployed population	6.094	3.828
Labour force	78,013	74.807
Economically not active population	54,919	61.170
Gross participation rate (%)	58.7	55.0
Net participation rate (%)	54.1	52.2
Unemployment rate%	7.8	5.1
Youth unemployment rate %	16.3	16.0

Tables

Source: Labour Force Survey 2025

Labour force of Curaçao 2014-2025 total population

Labour force of Curaçao 2014-2025 by age-groups

Labour force of Curaçao 2014-2025 by sexe

Source: Labour Force Survey of 2020

Hoogst afgerond opleidingsniveau 15-24 jarigen opleiding afgerond of nog bezig met opleiding, october 2020

Total employees at the Ministries of the Government of Curaçao

	2021	2022	2023	2024
General Affairs	111	107	108	87
Administrative Planning & Service	406	321	325	366
Justice	1524	1343	1323	1388
Traffic, Transport & Geographical Planning	223	188	188	188
Economic Development	73	65	64	60
Education, Science, Culture and Sport	103	88	86	85
Social Development, Labor & Welfare	182	141	144	152
Health	301	265	267	162
Finance	454	390	411	410
Total	3377	2908	2916	2898

Labour Force Development Dashboard (2014–2024)

Press Releases

Articles & Publications

Infographics

Labour infographics

Classification

International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO)

CBS uses the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) in labour market statistics in order to classify profession to level. The International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) is one of the main international classifications for which ILO is responsible. ISCO is a tool for organizing jobs into a clearly defined set of groups according to the tasks and duties undertaken in the job. Its main aim are to provide: a basis for the international reporting, comparison and exchange of statistical and administrative data about occupations. Dowbload here the CBS ISCO Job Mapping.

Definitions

Employed
All persons of 15 years and older who during the research period: a. had a job or have their own business; or b. who during the week preceding the research period performed any work for pay in cash or in kind, for 4 hours or more.

Unemployed
All persons 15 years and older who during the research period: a. did not have a job or a business of their own; and b. had actively been seeking work in the preceding month of the research period; and c. who were available to start working or start a business within two weeks.

Economically not active
All persons of 15 years and older who during the research period: a. did not have a job or own a business; and b. who were not actively seeking work. Labour force The total number of persons who are employed added to the total number of persons who are unemployed.

Unemployment rate
The number of unemployed persons as a percentage of the labour force. Y

Youth unemployment rate
The unemployment rate in the age category of 15 to 24 years.

Labour Force participation rate
The number of persons in the labour force as a percentage of the working age population.

Gross Participation rate
The number of persons in the labour force as a percentage of the total population.

Net Participation rate
The number of persons working as a percentage of the total population.

Underemployment
The percentage of employed persons who are employed and are seeking or are available for additional work during the reference period. Individuals 15 years and older were also classified in the following categories depending on their answers.

Informal labour
Working arrangements that are in practice or by law not subject to national labour legislation, income taxation, or entitlement to social protection or other employment categories; for example, advance notice of dismissal, severance pay or paid annual or sick leave (International Labour Organization, 2023).

Unpaid domestic and care work
Activities under unpaid domestic services for household and family members and unpaid care services for household and family members (United Nations Development Programme, 2018). Refers to unpaid housework, such as cooking, cleaning and other household tasks, and taking care of household members, including children and older persons.

Volunteer work
Unpaid non-compulsory work; that is, time individuals give without pay to activities performed either through an organization or directly for others outside their own household (International Labour Office, 2011).