Nearly three-quarters of working-age population in Caribbean Netherlands has employment

THE HAGUE – In 2024, nearly three-quarters of Caribbean Netherlands residents aged between 15 and 74 had paid employment. This emerges from new figures from Statistics Netherlands. Labor participation has increased in recent years across all three islands, with the strongest growth on Bonaire.

On Bonaire, the potential working-age population in 2024 totaled nearly 20,000 people. Of these, nearly 74 percent had employment. On Sint Eustatius, this concerned just over 71 percent of approximately 2,500 residents in this age group. On Saba, labor participation was lowest at just over 67 percent, with a working-age population of around 1,600 people.

Young people

Among young people aged 15 to 24, labor participation is significantly lower than in other age groups. On Bonaire, just over half of young people were employed. On Saba, this was just over 40 percent, and on Sint Eustatius less than 30 percent. The highest labor participation is seen among people aged 25 to 44. In the 45 to 74 age group as well, over 60 percent have paid employment on all islands.

The largest employment sector in Caribbean Netherlands is government and public services. Approximately one in seven workers is active in this sector. On Bonaire, employment is also relatively evenly distributed across the sectors of tourism and hospitality, construction, healthcare and welfare, and government. On Saba, education forms the second-largest sector. On Sint Eustatius, this is industry.

Unemployment

Unemployment was low across all islands in 2024. On Bonaire, just over two percent of the working-age population was unemployed, representing approximately 320 people. On Sint Eustatius, unemployment stood at just over four percent. On Saba, unemployment was lowest at just over one percent.

On Bonaire, nearly 4,900 people aged 15 to 74 do not belong to the working-age population. Four out of ten of them do not work due to age or retirement. Nearly two out of ten are unavailable due to illness or disability.

Approximately fifteen percent, mainly young people, are in education. About five percent cite family care as the main reason. On Saba, the proportion of people not working due to education is relatively highest: nearly one-third of non-workers.